Newest blurb about Wal-clinics.

[Red Beard]

http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSWEN690120070424?src=042407_1331_DOUBLEFEATURE_

From the article:

Wal-Mart Stores Inc. said on Tuesday that it will contract with local hospitals and other organizations to open as many as 400 in-store health clinics in the next two to three years.

Should current market forces continue, the world's largest retailer said up to 2,000 clinics could be in Wal-Mart stores over the next five to seven years.

"We think the clinics will be a great opportunity for our business. But most importantly, they are going to provide something our customers and communities desperately need -- affordable access at the local level to quality health care," said Wal-Mart Chief Executive Officer Lee Scott in a statement.

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[Red Beard]

Also:

Wal-Mart said the health clinics, which will lease space in its stores, will be managed by local or regional hospitals and/or other organizations that are independent of Wal-Mart.

 

[mshheaddoc]

It would be nice if you would post the link to the article for all of us to read

 

[Red Beard]

Major operator error on my part, let's try again:


http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=healthNews&storyid=2007-04-24T205450Z_01_WEN6901_RTRUKOC_0_US-WALMART-CLINICS.xml&src=rss&rpc=22

 

[patmcd]

At least walmart has enough sense to have the clinics be independent of the store itself. Hopefully walmart will actually let them run on their own. Maybe some of their own uninsured employees will actually get some health coverage out this?

 

[Miami_med]

This seems to mean that Walmart is allowing local hospitals to open clinics in its stores. It seems that Walmart is competing with strip shopping centers and professional offices, not physicians. Hospitals are competing. Nothing about this increases the number of people practicing medicine. It does create a new practice opportunity for some practicioners. I don't see how this actually impacts anything, aside from the clinic being more convenient to where people shop for groceries.

 

[Tired]

This seems to mean that Walmart is allowing local hospitals to open clinics in its stores. It seems that Walmart is competing with strip shopping centers and professional offices, not physicians. Hospitals are competing. Nothing about this increases the number of people practicing medicine. It does create a new practice opportunity for some practicioners. I don't see how this actually impacts anything, aside from the clinic being more convenient to where people shop for groceries.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't all these clincs staffed by NPs?

 

[Miami_med]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't all these clincs staffed by NPs?

I think it would depend on who opened the clinics. As I said, they're hospital clinics. Walmart is just leasing space.

 

[Llenroc]

I'm in my third year of medical school. I work everyday from 7 to 6. I'm never, ever allowed to take a day off (unless I want to make it up with 2 extra nights of call). I never get any sick days.

I'm thinking something like this might be pretty useful for someone like myself, assuming they keep it open extra hours.

I always used to get my contact lenses at the opthalmologists office, because I expected the quality of service to be better. Last year my contacts prescription ran out, and I *had* to go to the optometrist at the Sam's Club, because they were open on a Sunday. I was actually quite surprised by the quality of service that I got there.