I have been very enthusiastic about the concept of walk-in retail clinics in big-box stores. It now appears that this new mode of healthcare delivery may yet be another victim of our failing economy or perhaps of the CVS business model and overcapacity (see: CVS Shutters 90 Retail Clinics for the Season). Below is the story with boldface emphasis mine:
In what may be an ominous sign for retail clinics, CVS Caremark has closed about 90 of some 550 MinuteClinic locations until the next flu season or other “seasonal” needs demand their services, This is the first time CVS has put any of its clinics on a “seasonal” schedule: spring is typically a slower season for the clinics. The company told Dow Jones the move was meant to “align with consumer demand,” and that it hasn’t exited any markets. Almost all of the clinics that were closed are located within 10 miles of another MinuteClinic, and half are within five miles....The move may speak to overcapacity in a young industry that has grown rapidly but has only attracted modest demand from patients, who go to the clinics for simple ailments....Walgreen, which operates hundreds of Take Care Clinics, told Dow Jones it doesn’t plan to go the same route as CVS, instead focusing on offering year-round services such as vaccinations, blood-pressure tests and wound care.
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