Consumer-Driven Healthcare Retail Primary Care
One in 10 retail clinic users is replacing his or her primary-care physician with a retail clinic for the treatment of common ailments, according to a recent study by Market Strategies Inc. The study indicates substantial interest by consumers to receive basic care, as well as more complex care treatment, in a retail setting. Key findings include: Consumers are saying in no uncertain terms that convenience is so critical to them that they will forego traditional primary-care providers in exchange for access to the type of quick and convenient basic-care services offered by retail clinics. Consumers who have used retail clinics are open to treatment for a wider range of noncold type medical treatments, such as migraines, high cholesterol, and hypertension. 30% of all consumers believe that retail clinics should compete with primary-care physicians by offering a broader variety of more complex care and diagnostic services. The study notes that although the current business model for most retail clinics is to remain focused on common ailments that can be easily treated by a nurse practitioner or physician’s assistant, consumers are saying they would accept and, most likely use, store-based clinics for a wider variety of medical treatments than what is currently available. This finding has significant implications for physicians, medical groups, hospitals, and pharmaceutical companies and provides further evidence of the consumer-driven transformation of healthcare that is underway in the United States. Source: Market Strategies Inc., Livonia, Mich. Government Initiatives HHS Steps Toward Personalized Healthcare HHS Secretary Mike Leavitt has outlined a course for achieving gene-based medical care combined with health IT, which he is calling Personalized Health Care. These steps include: A broad review of the implications for privacy protection. A review of existing structures to ensure that genetic tests are accurate, valid, and useful. Development of consistent policies for its agencies regarding access to and security of federally supported research. In 2008, $15 million to create an electronic network of health data repositories. Recommendations to include genetic test information on electronic health records. Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. LOGGING ON AND PLUGGING IN Featured Podcasts Log onto pharmavoice.com/podcasts to access the following Podcast episodes, as well as others. • HBA and The Rising Stars Featured Thought Leader: Cathy Kerzner, President, Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association • InfoMedics Featured Thought Leaders: Michael Ball, Ph.D., VP, Marketing and Product Management, and Paul LeVine, VP Analytic Services • Pfizer Featured Thought Leader: Barbara DeBuono, M.D., MPH, Senior Medical Advisor, U.S. Public Health and Policy, Pfizer Global Pharmaceuticals Archived WebSeminars Archived WebSeminars Please log onto pharmavoice.com/weblinx to access these archived sessions: • Clinical Performance Management: Innovations for a Rapidly Changing Landscape Sponsored by Cognos • Leveraging Sales Analytics for Competitive Advantage Sponsored by Biltmore Technologies • The Pharmaceutical Brand Revolution: Optimizing Brand Power, From Before Launch to Beyond Expiry Sponsored by TNS Healthcare
