My February 8 blog,
Wal-Mart to the Rescue includes information about Aurora Health Care QuickCare clinics opening in Wal-Mart stores in Pewaukee, Mukwonago, Oshkosh, and Sheboygan. Following Wal-Mart's lead, other retailers like Target and CVS have opened over 150 similar clinics around the country.
Wal-Mart's influence has spurred a healthy competition, and their influence is having an impact once again.
The Business Journal reports that the Walgreen Company will open up to 15 retail medical clinics in its Milwaukee-area drugstores. The move by Walgreens is the direct result of the action taken by Wal-Mart, and is clearly a maneuver to compete head-on with Aurora that has 18 QuickCare clinics in Milwaukee. Health-care consumers stand to be big winners.
Walgreens clinics will reportedly offer fast diagnosis and treatment of common illnesses. The clinics will model those in Wal-Mart stores, focusing on care for ailments like strep throat, ear, sinus, and bladder infections, pink eye, and poison ivy. A nurse practitioner can prescribe medications and will staff the clinics that will be open conveniently on nights and weekends. Walgreens plans to have 250 clinics operating in drugstores all across the country by September.
Quick and easy health-care clinics offered in retail stores are revolutionizing health care. The Business Journal reports the number of U.S. retail clinics grew from 62 in January 2006, with a fifth of them Aurora's, to 255 during January 2007.
While the public clamors for quality and affordable health care, the public sector struggles to find answers. The solutions appear to lie with the private sector that is far-better equipped to provide consumers the care and services they desire.
