Convenient Care Clinics (Research Paper Sample)

Convenient Care Clinics
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Jan, 18, 2014
Convenient Care Clinics (CCC)
Convenient Care Clinics are health centers that operate on space in other already existing enterprises such as retail stores, supermarkets, pharmacies or even as parts of hospitals. They provide a more consumer oriented approach to the health care services offered. In most cases, no appointment should be scheduled earlier in order to see a medical practitioner concerning a health issue that is considered minor. It is much more convenient and less time consuming (Aetna 2012). It is also much safer than going to a drug store to get over-the-counter drugs. Common illnesses catered for at these clinics include common colds, ear infections, common allergies or screening.
Stated below are the advantages of Convenient Care Clinics
There is always a guaranteed appointment to see a medical practitioner. No prior calls or bookings are made to be able to be treated for common maladies (UCAA, 2012) . One will just walk right in and be served.
The consultations are definite and short. Each visit will cost the consumer 15 minutes or less. The clinics put up placards with the diseases or cases that can be handled.
The clinics locations are convenient. They also serve at very convenient hours. This saves consumers a lot of hustle of visiting the hospitals for minor disease that would just consume a lot of time.
The prices are considerably low as compare to visiting a hospital. This is because it is only the common illnesses that everyone is faced with at one time or the other. The prices are also upfront meaning cash or insurance is accepted.
Electronic health records are available at all retail clinics and stores. This saves one a lot of trips to the hospital for records (Aetna, 2012).
The Disadvantages of Convenient Care Clinics
Short consultations do not leave one enough time to give their medical history that would be necessary in assessing the seriousness of ones condition.
The convenient clinics may be limited in the services they provide. Lack of certain machines hinders them from treating or diagnosing cases of fractures or sprains (Clayton
& Clemans 2008). Chronic illnesses cannot be diagnosed here.
One is rarely attended to by a medical doctor. Usually, nurses or assistants serve as the practitioners in the retail clinics. This may later result to an under diagnosis of a condition that may end up causing serious health problems.
The convenient clinics have been noted to retract citizens from developing a somewhat 'medical home', where they can turn to in cases of any heath scare. Doctors will often use such visits on counseling and checkups to their patients which is not the case with retail clinics (Clayton & Clemans, 2008).
Convenient care clinics obviously have their benefits, but also have magnanimous cons. Some cases have been proved fatal due to the frequent visits to the same. Whereas in some cases i...