Taking Health Care to a Retail Store Near You

Statenet has compiled an interesting report about legislative battles to regulate the growing number of quick stop health care clinics springing up in retail outlets. Physician groups proclaiming concerns about quality of care, but in actuality attempting to gain the help of government in stifling competition in the form of innovative and inexpensive health care alternatives, are pressing for regulation, even as other groups are urging increasing the scope of practice of nurse practitioners providing care in these types of venues.

While this trend for providing some primary care services in non-traditional settings does not constitute an ultimate solution to problems with our health care system, this is an important debate. This practice model provides a convenient, inexpensive way to make primary health care available and more affordable -- without expensive government mandates.