Back in February, major pharmacy chains including Walgreen Co., CVS Caremark, Rite Aid, Kroger and Safeway all announced via the White House website — an official channel if there ever was one — that they were endorsing the Blue Button initiative. Blue Button, a protocol developed at the Department of Veterans Affairs and now open to the general public, is an easy, one-click way for people to download health records from provider portals for personal reference or sharing with other providers. The idea is to support consumer access to their own records and promote health information exchange…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/01/12/retail-clinics_n_6445506.html
Why We’re Picking Walmart And CVS Over Doctors’ Offices
CVS Health’s MinuteClinic, the market leader with close to 1,000 locations in 31 states and the District of Columbia, had more than 18 million patient visits in 2013, up from 5 million just two years prior, according to the company. It plans to have 1,500 clinics by 2017…
Locations like these offer basic check-ups plus vaccinations and treatment for minor ailments, and their medical professionals can write prescriptions. Unlike the pharmacy and grocery chains, Walmart is positioning itself as a true primary care provider, while both Walmart and Walgreens tout their services for patients with chronic diseases. Walmart sets a flat price of $40 per visit (or $4 for company employees), while CVS Health and Walgreens charge less than $100 for most treatments. Lab work, drugs, vaccines and other things carry additional fees…
Retail clinics also typically offer a less-comprehensive set of services than urgent-care centers, and don’t have as much high-tech equipment…
My guess is that they don’t prescribe opioids either.
