In-store clinics rankle some physicians

July 25, 2007

In-store clinics that provide rudimentary healthcare services are spreading in stores such as Wal-Mart and CVS, but some physicians fear that the quick-visit shops may jeopardize patient care and lead to misdiagnoses, according to a Newsweek article.

The critics are concerned that the clinics fragment a patient's care, where the primary care physician does not receive patient information in a timely mannner. Others are concerned that the clinics are not properly supervised, and that they may misdiagnose more on average than a physician or hospital visit. To date, there have been no malpractice suits filed against an in-store clinic, according to Newsweek.