Issue link: https://viewer.e-digitaledition.com/i/1179556
Yet statistics by the Rand Corp. show that the majority of patients in retail clinics do not have a primary care provider at all, suggesting the facilities serve patients who might not be receiving care otherwise. Moreover, say defenders of the model, retail clinics can actually play a role in promoting the physician-patient relationship. "MinuteClinic encourages consumers to have a primary care provider, and we offer patients a resource list of primary care providers in the region who are accepting new patients," says Sharon Vitti, Senior Vice President of CVS Health and President of MinuteClinic. "In fact, in 2018, we made more than 2 million physician referrals for patients who did not have an established medical home. ... In addition, to help promote continuity of care, a MinuteClinic visit summary is sent to the patient's primary care provider with patient permission after each visit." Further, some retail clinics, including MinuteClinic, col- laborate with traditional health systems to provide patients integrated care that is reflected in their EHR. ON THE MOVE? Retail clinics are often in affluent, more densely populated neighborhoods. In fact, according to Rand, only 12.5% are in medically underserved areas. Simon hopes this will change in the near future. " W hat we have seen in the past is that these medica l advances tend to happen in areas that already have more resources," she says. " While this business model may be more profitable, they can have a bigger impact by going into these more rural geographic areas where disparities exist and healthcare options are limited." Simon also hopes to see retail clinics continue to partner with other healthcare systems and capitalize on advances in telemedicine. "Can the lack of resources in a retail setting be compensated by virtua l integration with more traditiona l hea lthcare landscapes?" she asks. "Will I, one day, be able to go into a retail health setting and see a provider that, with the click of a button, can connect me to an expert with specialty training who has access to my medical information and charts? I think it certainly would not be surprising, given all the transitions and innovations occurring in other industries. Plus, it is really important. We need quality health care more than we need our groceries delivered." n Taking the Leap? HE A LTHCA RE SYSTEMS A ND physician groups considering venturing into the retail clinic model should consider a number of factors, such as where most of their patients and referring physicians are located and whether a retail setting can accommodate the services the organization or group provides, according to Colin Carr, Founder and CEO of Carr Healthcare Realty. "Retail clinics are not a one-size-fits-all solution," Carr says. "Don't commit or fall in love with one property type without fully evaluating the market. Look at retail and traditional office spaces, look at options to lease and purchase, look at current eco- nomic trends and the quality of properties available to you, and discuss the pros and cons of each with a professional adviser." " It feels as if we're on the cusp of a major shift in health care, but we don't know how it'll play out. High-quality care is expensive to receive and provide, and as a result, both patients and providers are looking for options that cost less without resulting in a reduction of care." — KOSALI SIMON, PHD, HEALTH ECONOMIST AT O'NEILL SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS AT INDIANA UNIVERSITY IN BLOOMINGTON M D N E W S . C O M /// M D N E W S C L E v E L A N D /A K R O N / C A N T O N ■ S E P T E M B E R / O C T O B E R 2 019 1 5