While many doctors have conceded that retail clinics have their place caring for patients with routine medical problems, they draw a line in the sand when it comes to whether these clinics can provide proper care for patients with chronic illnesses, according to a report in Managed Care magazine.
Retail clinics that want to expand their domain to treat patients with chronic conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes, are getting pushback from primary care physicians who say those clinics are not qualified to manage such complex conditions, according to the publication.
“We don’t think there is enough evidence to say that they are able to take care of chronic disease and to manage complex problems. We do not recommend that they go forward with that,” Nitin Damle, M.D., president of the American College of Physicians, told the magazine.
Retail clinics, however, are exploring the chronic care territory. For instance, the article noted that Rite Aid Health Alliance, part of Rite Aid, has been working with accountable care organizations and physicians in a few communities to identify patients with chronic illnesses who may need coaching to help manage their conditions.
However, while retail clinics can offer patients convenience when they need treatment for a sore throat or want a vaccination, they can’t provide the continuity of care for patients with chronic illness, Robert Wergin, M.D., board chairman of the American Academy of Family Physicians, told the publication. Those patients can have serious complications and need the care of a physician, said Damle.
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