Posted on 10/03/2014 6:38:07 AM PDT by BwanaNdege
While on a trip to Forest City, NC, I stopped in the local Walmart SuperCenter. To my delight, at the front of the store was "The Clinic at Walmart".
The local hospital, Rutherford Regional Health System, operates this small clinic. Most of the available services have a fee of $69. IIRC, lab tests (in house) and basic shots were $20.
It is staffed by either a Physician's Assistant or a Nurse Practitioner, both more qualified than an RN, EMT or Corpsman. More urgent or severe medical needs are referred to an MD or the hospital.
Open M-F 9-9, Sat 8-6, Sun 12-6.
Bravo Walmart!
Bravo Rutherford Regional Health System!
Bravo Walmart!
CVS Caremark has made a corporate decision to open these type of clinics. Part of the branding was to stop selling cigarets. Time will tell if the hit on the revenues will make a difference.
There is an “Emergency Room” in Kennewick, WA, which is not connected to any hospital that I can see, and I suspect that it is really a walk in care clinic, with a big EMERGENCY sign on it.
They could treat simple injuries, health problems and answer questions without spending thousands of dollars at the ER.
Back in the mid-1990’s, I had $5,000 deductible insurance and my daughter broke her arm. I took her to a new clinic at a nice strip mall in my area. The entire bill was ~$275.
This is very exciting. It suggests health care could become more and more like other services like autobody shops - or lasik. When the person using the service is the person paying for the service, free markets start empowering consumers.
A little editing re one of your comments. You don’t get in and out of a hospital ER post EObola care for less than thousands of $’s.
One of our younger 40 something male relatives, who is normally healthier than a working mule, got severe allergies this past May.
His primary care doc had retired, and he normally got a steroid shot once a year for his allergies.
He couldn’t find a PC without going through the registering hoops and a deposit to cover his first visit.
So he went to a walk in Clinic and saw a Doc, who barely could speak English and got a shot for a cost of about $250. He said in over 20 year of getting a single steroid shot each year for his allergies, that shot hurt worse than any of the previous shots.
He has a lot of cousins and friends, who are in the same category of being very healthy and rarely sick. Walmart or CVS walkup clinics will be great for them.
Illegals should have to go a clinic for illegals to get their minor medical care.
I agree. I am seeing these things pop up everywhere...Walgreens, CVS, etc. They are great when you just need to see someone immediately without making an appointment. The free market usually finds a way to make things easier and affordable. I am sure the government will wind a way to make them all go away at some point.
“When the person using the service is the person paying for the service, free markets start empowering consumers.”
Amen Brother!
Which is why ObolaCare will find a way to put a stop to it.
So do you have to go thru the registration hoops like you would at other places or is it strictly an anonymous transaction?
I am disgusted with the electronic rape that goes on everywhere else.
Which is why ObolaCare will find a way to put a stop to it.
I think it will be comical if, after the GOPe takes over the senate that, with a majority they start FIXING obamacare instead of working to get rid of it. And I fully expect that to happen.
One of my brothers fell out of a tree and broke his arm back around 1960 and my parents took him to a doctor’s office and it was taken care of for a few dollars. Who knows what it would cost now.
An acquaintence of mine had $10,000 deductible medical coverage back in the 90’s. One day he hurt his arm playing tennis and went to a specialist. The receptionist told him they needed a referral from a doctor first (insurance rules). He told her he was paying out of pocket like you would pay for an oil change. The concept was so foreign to her that he had to explain it several times before she would let him see the doctor.
I’d really like to see us go back to a 19th century paradigm regarding health care financing.
I would tell you that your tagline is detestable except for one thing...I believe it.
Having worked at a large,well known,hospital for years I wouldn’t go within a country mile of such a facility.There’s a reason why physicians undergo anywhere between five years and twelve years (depending on specialty) of training before being allowed to hang out a shingle.No RN or PA can come close to equaling the knowledge attained during this training.Whether it be a simple rash or a rare form of heart disease I want an MD examining and treating me.
Market response to having to sit in an MD office waiting room for three hours or having to schedule a summer camp physical six months in advance.
MDs around here are fighting like mad to prevent expanded treatment by Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants.
When I lived in Oklahoma in the 90’s, I worked oddball hours and to get a doctor’s appointment would have required missing work. I was able to find two “Minor Emergency” clinics - and if I was ill, could walk in & get treatment. Was really handy the time I cut my finger & had to get stitches.
I’m happy to see the Walgreens & CVS and also Med Express pop up where I live now. I see ZERO need for a PCP at this point.
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