Several aspects of retail clinics and standalone ERs as they relate to physicians are discussed in this podcast by Heath Leaders Media. Phillip Betbeze, senior finance editor of Health Leaders Media, interviewed Paul Breslin, a senior principal at the Noblis Center for Health Innovation. Breslin emphasizes that retail clinics ...

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) has repeatedly expressed its concerns about the retail health industry. They developed a set of guidelines they believe retail health clinics should follow. This list is published on their Web site and is introduced by a reminder that ''AAFP does not endorse ...

Last year at this time, I attended the signing of a key law expanding NP privileges in Pennsylvania. Milling about before the ceremony, I was buttonholed by a dental hygienist hoping to spread the word about the valuable work those practitioners do. Gov. Rendell was signing another law that day eliminating the legal requirement that dental ...

An editorialist for The Washington Times wrote an article about the DNP last week that makes some interesting points worth pondering. In Dane Stangler's ''Doctor nurse will see you now,'' he says he believes the DNP is a bad idea, mainly because with a requirement for more education, the number of NPs will decline: Today, we no longer face a ...

This week I had theopportunity to talk with another NP about starting a clinic. I have spoken witha number of NPs in the last few years all hoping to open their own “clinic.” Ifind these conversations very valuable to me as I am reminded of the reasons Iwanted to start my own practice. Occasionally I need that reminder…Getting StartedThe first and ...

There have been numerous accounts of NP opinions on thecontinuing education and creation of standardized DNP programs. We have allheard of the pros and cons of each camp and must make a decision on whether ornot this is beneficial to our profession. I for one am in favor of this endeavor for many reasons. Imust first remind you that I own and ...

Finding the right job is like trying to find the right mate in life. It is all about the fit between the two participants; is there enough good to outweigh the bad, is it a relationship that benefits both participants in a positive way, and are the goals of both participants the same? These are three important questions to ponder when considering ...

Does anyone see anything wrong with the picture above? Several elements are right, such as the bright sky and the smile on my face at having just graduated with my master's degree. Commencement exercises were surprisingly fun, but it was not until the end of the ceremony that my friends and I discovered the sign we were sitting behind. Proud ...

I started my career at an urgent care center in Lehi, Utah. After a few years I opened Pace Clinic in Springville, Utah – 40 miles away (due to a noncompete agreement). So when I opened my doors I was new to the city. I have found it tough to start from scratch. If I had been able to open near my previous practice I would have had a lot of ...

A rather controversial topic among NPs talking about retail health is the value of consumer service in health care. Some say the patient's experience and comfort are just as important as their care, and others say care is the ultimate goal. A leading example in this discussion is the instance of a patient who shows up claiming to need an ...