Back in the early 1990s I went to work part time for a doctor who was going to open a satillite office in our small town. He was looking for just the right location, one that presented the right professional atmosphere. I remember him saying they wanted to find someplace in a professional office park, definitely not a commercial site like a storefront setting in a plaza or mall. Image was everything.
The times have certainly changed. There are 9,400 walk in clinics in the U.S. and fully one third of them are in a mall! It's the perfect marriage of commerce and health care. The mall management is happy as medical tenants tend to pay higher rent, have better credit and stay longer with a good lease. The patient is often a person without a regular physician who is trying to avoid the emergency room. When they discover the mall located walk in clinic they aren't thinking it is less professional than the stand alone doctor's office. The clinic in the mall has high visibility and offers the convenience of one stop shopping. They are thinking, " how convenient."
These walk in clinics often mirror the hours that the retail mall businesses adhere to. And not just hours which can be 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, but days too, to include the weekend days. These are family friendly enterprises and are very well staffed. Illness is not the only reason patients go to them. School physicals for sports, routine vaccinations, medical permission slips and insurance health exams are just a few of the services a well-patient facility can perform.
With many new people enjoying health care due to the Affordsble Healthcare Act, these clinics can become very busy. Right now they tend to be staffed by board certified doctors and RNs. As nurses with advanced training gain greater responsibility it may be that we see more clinics operating with nurse practitioners. Either way, the bill for being seen in a walk in clinic is often one fourth of the bill for the same care at an emergency room. Many new health care owners, due to Obamacare, have high ER deductibles and are happy to embrace the less costly walk-clinic often retired to as the "Doc in a Box."
Right now this type of medical facility is expanding all over the country. There is still pent -up demand for the in-and-out health care facility. The industry is growing so fast that it is possible that
supply will out distance demand and not every walk in clinic will be a commercial success. But right now the majority of clinics are in the right place at the right time.
Just keep in mind that these clinics are relatively new. If you need to visit one, be patient. They are still working out the kinks. And allow time for a little retail therapy and a soft pretzel.
The times have certainly changed. There are 9,400 walk in clinics in the U.S. and fully one third of them are in a mall! It's the perfect marriage of commerce and health care. The mall management is happy as medical tenants tend to pay higher rent, have better credit and stay longer with a good lease. The patient is often a person without a regular physician who is trying to avoid the emergency room. When they discover the mall located walk in clinic they aren't thinking it is less professional than the stand alone doctor's office. The clinic in the mall has high visibility and offers the convenience of one stop shopping. They are thinking, " how convenient."
These walk in clinics often mirror the hours that the retail mall businesses adhere to. And not just hours which can be 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM, but days too, to include the weekend days. These are family friendly enterprises and are very well staffed. Illness is not the only reason patients go to them. School physicals for sports, routine vaccinations, medical permission slips and insurance health exams are just a few of the services a well-patient facility can perform.
With many new people enjoying health care due to the Affordsble Healthcare Act, these clinics can become very busy. Right now they tend to be staffed by board certified doctors and RNs. As nurses with advanced training gain greater responsibility it may be that we see more clinics operating with nurse practitioners. Either way, the bill for being seen in a walk in clinic is often one fourth of the bill for the same care at an emergency room. Many new health care owners, due to Obamacare, have high ER deductibles and are happy to embrace the less costly walk-clinic often retired to as the "Doc in a Box."
Right now this type of medical facility is expanding all over the country. There is still pent -up demand for the in-and-out health care facility. The industry is growing so fast that it is possible that
supply will out distance demand and not every walk in clinic will be a commercial success. But right now the majority of clinics are in the right place at the right time.
Just keep in mind that these clinics are relatively new. If you need to visit one, be patient. They are still working out the kinks. And allow time for a little retail therapy and a soft pretzel.
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