MA sets retail clinic rules

In a move which is likely to have national repercussions--given the still-emerging status of the retail clinic sector--the Massachusetts Public Health Council has issued its planned set of rules governing the operations of retail clinics. The rules, which refer to "limited-care clinics," require the clinics to offer patients and primary care physicians with access to electronic medical records, among other things. The state has also appointed a new medical director to oversee clinical care within such clinics.  The rules seem to have satisfied the Massachusetts Medical Society, which has been critical of retail clinics generally.

The new regulations come in response to applications by CVS Caremark's MinuteClinic, which was hoping to get several waivers to clinic rules in opening the state's first retail clinic. MinuteClinic didn't get the waivers, but it's still ready to move ahead with opening its first location in Massachusetts.

To learn more about the decision:
- read this Modern Healthcare article (reg. req.)

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