Sedano's Pharmacy to offer walk-in clinics. - Sedano's Pharmacy joins the growing ranks of stores offering walk-in clinics. It plans to open four in South Florida in early 2007
Joining the rush to put walk-in clinics in major
retail stores, Miami-based Continucare said Monday
it plans to open four operations in Sedano's Pharmacy
stores in South Florida, the start of what the company
hopes will be a nationwide move.
Under the name Valueclinic, the four will open during
the first quarter of 2007 to treat common illnesses
such as flu, bronchitis and strep throat. They can
also provide basic vaccinations and diagnostic screenings,
the company said.
Navarro Discount Pharmacies already has three clinics
in its South Florida stores, and Publix has said it
plans to open one in the Miami area. CVS, the national
drugstore chain, recently bought MinuteClinic, which
has 100 in-store operations around the country. Wal-Mart,
Target and Walgreens also are entering the clinic
field.
What started out as a minor trend is now becoming
a major wave, perhaps changing the primary-care landscape
in South Florida.
"This is a concept at the right time and the
right place," said Richard Pfenniger Jr., Continucare's
chief executive. "I think this is a very healthy
-- no pun intended -- addition to the range of healthcare
services, and it will be done in a very consumer-friendly
way."
Pfenniger said the clinics aren't intended to replace
customers' doctors but to serve as an alternative
for basic ailments when patients want quick care,
particularly at nights and weekends when most doctors'
offices are closed. The clinic hours are likely to
be "12-hour cycles" with eight hours a day
on the weekends.
Doctors aren't so sure this will be a good thing.
Bernd Wollschlaeger, a North Dade primary-care doctor
who's a delegate to the American Medical Association's
policy-making body, says such clinics may provide
a needed alternative, "but the problem we are
creating is the fragmentation of the healthcare system,"
where no one understands all of a patient's history
and problems.
Wollschlaeger too is concerned that stores are getting
into the healthcare business for a simple financial
motive "to lure people in so they will buy other
things." But he acknowledged that doctors may
have to become more business-oriented, perhaps extending
their hours to better serve patients. He himself has
gone to a later schedule, starting at 10 a.m., going
until 8 p.m., to accommodate patients who must work
during the day.
Another family doctor, Saria Carter Saccocio of Fort
Lauderdale, said she could understand the need for
the clinics. "We have 40 million people without
a personal medical home" -- basically those without
medical insurance -- "and if this is the only
access they have, some care is better than no care."
Continucare plans to charge about $50 for many basic
visits, Pfenniger said. Carter said uninsured patients
may be charged $100 to $200 to visit a physician's
office.
The clinics will be staffed by nurse practitioners
or physician assistants, who will be able write some
basic prescriptions, Pfenniger said.
Leo Cuervo, president of Sedano's Pharmacy, said
the company is planning to put clinics into five of
its 15 pharmacies early next year -- in Country Walk,
Westchester, Hialeah, Miami Lakes and one at Sheridan
Street and Highway 441 in Hollywood.
"This matches very well with the initiatives
to give more service to our customers," Cuervo
said. "We already have optical services in some
stores and a hearing center." Sedano's plans
to add more clinics over time.
Under the agreement announced Monday, Continucare
will rent space from Sedano's and spend about $50,000
to $75,000 per location to put in a small waiting
room and one or two examining rooms with walls assuring
patient privacy.
Customers will be given beepers if they want so they
can wander around the store until they can be examined.
Considering how many stores nationwide are interested
in having clinics, Pfenniger said the Sedano's agreement
could serve as a trial for a nationwide offering of
clinic services. About a dozen other companies are
already in the field.
