Unbiased Analysis of Today's Healthcare Issues
Much has been written on this site about the growth of convenience clinics (see posts on July 25, April 26, and April 17). The Economist’s Free exchange blog adds to the discussion (“A spoonful of monopoly…“). It warns how the AMAs monopoly powers may be a threat to convenience clinics such as Medical Marts. “The…
Earlier this month, VentureBeat reported that QuickHealth, a Burlingame, Calf. company that operates walk-in medical clinics, said it has raised an $8.5 million in a second round of financing. The company’s report states the following: Take Care Health Systems LLC, an operator of retail clinics predominantly in the Midwest, completed its sale to Walgreen Co.…
As my colleague Mike Ewens wrote to me: “Monopolists hate competitors and have to use the government to keep them away.” An example that takes center stage can be found in a recent Chicago Tribune article (“AMA takes on Retail Clinics“) . Some doctors have asked the AMA to ban on in-store clinics currently being…
âCan you imagine if a Wal-Mart store operated like Americaâs health care system? You would walk into the store and there would be a huge array of merchandise. But you would not be able to tell the products apart. You would not know how much they cost. And in the end, you would not know…
There is an interesting post at GoozNews (“Getting Doctors to Compete“) in which Merrill Goozner comments on Harvard Business School professor Michael Porter’s belief that competition and integrated care are the solutions to the nation’s health care woes. “Where we need to go is an integrated practice model,” he said. His model entails patient-focused practice…
About a year ago (“Attention Shoppers“), this blog noted the rapid expansion of walk-in health clinics staffed by nurse practitioners. This week, the Economist magazine (“McClinics“) highlights growing popularity of walk-in clinics such as RediClinic, MinuteClinic, and Health Stop. Patients appreciate the convenient locations, shorter wait times, and lower costs. More information can be found…
One final example of licensure’s impact on quality is given by a 1978 study of the quality of contact lens fitting. The study looked at 502 households who had been fitted for contacted lenses in the previous three years and were still wearing contacts. The study was conducted with the cooperation of the American Academy…
Many studies have claimed that Nurse Practitioners (NPs)–as well as Physician Assistants (PAs)–are adequate substitutes for primary care physicians. Researchers claim that NPs can perform a great majority of the tasks currently carried out by primary care physicians, and should be used more frequently since NP and PA salaries are usually half of primary care…
Can consumer-driven health care (CDHC) really work? According to the New York Times, many entrepreneurs believe it can. In “Attention Shoppers,” the newspaper details how Wal-Mart, CVS and other chain stores are opening walk-in health clinics. The clinics are staffed by Nurse Practitioners and operated independently of the chain store. The benefits of the walk-in…
The Independent of the UK reports (“Childbirth revolution“) that the British government is “planning a ‘strategic shift’ in childbirth policy away from hospital delivery and towards births in the home.” Instead of having doctors supervise the birth, midwives will deliver the child. On one hand, I commend the British government for this policy change. The…