Case Study : Minute Clinic.

Mentioning a nationwide shortage of primary care providers, millions of newly insured patients through the Affordable Care Act, and an aging population, Dr. Andrew Sussman, president of CVSs MinuteClinic division, said in November 2013, MinuteClinic can help to meet that demand, collaborating with local provider groups, as part of a larger health care team (Nesi 2014).MinuteClinic started in 2000 and as of early 2014 has more than 600 locations. Its clinics are staffed by nurse practitioners and physi-cian assistants, rather than physicians. The clinics are open seven days a week and appointments are not needed. The nurse practitioners and physician assistants diagnose, treat, and write prescriptions for a vari-ety of common illnesses. The clinics show customers the prices of care (typically less than the prices in a physicians office) and usually accept insurance. Most clinics are in CVS pharmacies (CVS Caremark 2013).Of course, not everyone thinks MinuteClinic is a good idea. CVS has made three attempts to establish MinuteClinic locations in Rhode Island (where it is headquartered). Its first attempt was rebuffed in the face of opposition from the Rhode Island Medical Society. In 2005 the Societys president wrote that by skimming away a certain volume of less complex and routine work, MinuteClinic will compromise the economic viability of some primary care practices (Nesi 2014). The American Academy of Family Physicians continues to have reservations about MinuteClinic and similar retail clinics, noting that while they may provide a limited scope of health care services for patients, this can ultimately lead to fragmentation of the patients health care unless it is coordinated with the patients primary care physicians office (American Academy of Family Physicians 2014).

Discussion questions:

For what products is Minute Clinic a substitute?

For what products is it a complement?

In what sense is Minute Clinic designed to meet the needs of patients?

Do you share the Rhode Island Medical Societys concerns?

Why might they be right?

Why might they be wrong?

A common criticism is that Minute Clinic locates its clinics in well-to-do areas. Is this a concern?