Mini clinics have that fast food feeling

HEALTH CARE

Mini clinics have that fast food feeling

By Fleur Sack

June 4, 2007

On Friday, June 1, Publix cut the ribbon and opened "mini clinics" in five of their locations in our area. These clinics, staffed by nurse practitioners and other medical professionals, will treat common illnesses, list their costs for diagnosis and treatment upfront, and boast quick turnaround.

When faced with accessing medical care, our community will be able to receive treatment at their local Publix Little Clinic and perhaps do some shopping after. However, before choosing this option, it is vital to consider some important factors in choosing this particular type of care.

While mini clinics offer patients convenience and fast service, it is essential to remember the innumerable benefits to having a family physician that you and your family see regularly. You know that you will receive a thorough exam with the expertise of a doctor who knows your medical history and can speak directly to your needs and concerns. You create a "medical home" where a long-term relationship with your doctor is established, one that stays with you as you change and develop through your life. And, you have the comfort of knowing family physicians manage almost 90 percent of all patient problems, including biological and mental health concerns.

As a family physician dedicated to the ideas of quality care and a "medical home", I have concerns about mini clinics. A mini clinic makes recommendations and treatment decisions based less on personal context and more on general guidelines. Mini clinics currently do not have access to patient medical records and histories, follow-up on treatments or establish a patient-physician relationship. Without these capabilities, some symptoms of greater illness might go unnoticed by these medical professionals. At mini clinics, a small number of physicians supervise a group of medical professionals who are limited in the type and scope of care they can provide to patients.

Many patients are also weary about the type of treatment they will receive at a retail medical clinic. A recent Harris Poll found that 75 percent of those surveyed would worry that a serious medical condition might be missed or misdiagnosed at one of these types of clinics. Seventy-one percent would be worried about the staff's qualifications at a retail health clinic.

Because the type of "fast food medicine" provided by mini clinics cannot replace regular exams or an established relationship with a family physician, I encourage patients to take an active role in their own health care. Patients can take simple steps to improve their quality of health care. Know when you need to make a doctor's appointment, learn as much as you can about the facility/medical professional from which you are receiving care and know your medications to alert medical professionals to potential drug interactions. Also, schedule a physical once a year with your doctor, even if you are healthy, to screen for diseases and check for potential problems.

The Florida Academy of Family Physicians recognizes that health care is changing. We have always supported and will continue to support access to health care for all Floridians. Because your health is your greatest asset, it needs to be protected and cared for. I encourage all local residents to be proactive in their health and to create a "medical home" for themselves and their families.

Fleur Sack is a family physician in Davie.

South Florida Sun-Sentinel