An Innovation in Health Care Opens at CVS/Pharmacy Stores in Knoxville and Chattanooga

Mini clinics will continue to operate in retail establishments for the forseeable future.  They have raised several concerns, so the company that addresses these concerns while providing the convenience will be rewarded with above average market share.

CVS Style Nurse Practitioner Treatment Centers might be filling a real need.  Pharmacies sometimes function as a first triage center for medical products.

Several retail pharmacies and walmart are opening 'urgent care' centers to diagnose and treat patient for low cost, and a short wait. The intention is good, and will likely keep some people from going to the ER.  However, several problems of concern. In the end it's probably a plus for the uninsured (smaller bills), but better safeguards need to be put in place.

MinuteClinic and the sundry of other retail clinics aren't providing any radical 'innovation' in patient care.  All they're trying to do is make money off of patients by trying to meet what they perceive as a consumer demand:  fast and easy access to the health care system.  By getting patients to a provider in rapid fashion and with transparent pricing, they are delivering what patients...

1. Medical asistance. 2. Health unexpensiveness. 3. Posibility of multiple medical offices. 4. Quality of services.

CVS wants to expand their base of services and take the most simple, uncomplicaated cases and use least trained practioners.  $59 for athlete's foot is nice level of remuneration.  Unfortunately, patients don't triage themselves this way, so there is a significant risk associated with moving into this arena.  Not to mention loss of good will of the neighborhood physicians.  At...

This seems to me, as a board certified practicing Internist, as yet another intrusion into the successful continuing concept of private practice.  As Internists, we don't just treat Lupus, heart failure, renal failure, strokes, etc.  Those conditions do require our skill and training levels, as well as the the number of years in practice each doctor has accumulated, making him all the more...

Potentially important disruptive innovation in healthcare management Concern over: -- reimbursement rates from insurers and cash flow problems (interesting solution). -- Thin profit margin requires large rollout -- Keeping track of patient records -- patient-driven healthcare can lead to:         -- problems with following up on false positive test results     ...

- several companies are opening walk-in clinics staffed by   nurse practitioners adjacent to a pharmacy - nurse practitioners are acting alone without direct physician   supervision - expect physicians to fight this vigorously - there are several problems that have to be addressed, including   conflicts of interest, quality of care and follow up care.