 | | | | Related Healthscout Videos | |
|
Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | Next >> "Any attempt to push back retail clinics will result in higher health-care costs and prevent some patients from receiving the care they're seeking," Polzin said. "Also, Take Care Health nurse practitioners are meeting or exceeding national guidelines for prescribing, so they're doing a proper job of prescribing medications like antibiotics."
A statement issued by the Convenient Care Association, which lobbies for in-store health clinics, noted that the number of in-store clinics has grown "due to a widespread lack of access to high-quality, affordable health care in America.
"We are surprised that the AMA would take the position that it has, because so many physicians and other health-care professionals have accepted this new model and see it as part of the solution to our broken health-care system," the association statement said. "While the AMA convened its annual meeting this week to discuss ways to prevent patient access to convenient health care, the Convenient Care Association held an annual retreat to promote accessible, affordable, price-transparent health care to all Americans."
Text Continues Below
The AMA's Carmel believes that in-store clinics have a role to play in a consumer-driven health care system. "But it is necessary to be vigilant to make sure that the same high-quality standards that doctors meet in their offices are met in these clinics," he said.
In a related vote, the AMA also passed a resolution that seeks equal insurance co-payments for in-store clinics and doctors' offices. A difference is co-payments could steer patients to the clinics on the basis of cost rather than quality of care, the AMA said.
"There have been examples of insurance companies waiving or lowering the co-pay for patients who go to retail store clinics, but not offering that same waiving or lowering to patients who are seen in a physician's office," Carmel said. "We feel by doing that, insurance companies are steering patients to retail clinics and, in a sense of equity, it should be a level field between the retail clinic and the physician's office."
Page: << Prev | 1 | 2 | 3 | Next >>
|
.gif)
