COMING SOON: Diagnoses and Drugs at a Walgreens Near You

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Walgreens  and its Take Care Clinic is taking another step into the primary care doctor’s space.  The network of retail store clinics will “expand its health care services to include diagnosing and treating patients for chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes and high cholesterol.” 
Nurse practitioners teamed with physician assistants will conduct tests, make diagnoses and referrals (more tests and doctors, as needed) and help patient manage their conditions. 

The initial reaction from several of the professional physician organizations is “Thumbs Down”.   A key concern is patient safety – with the addition of another primary care provider, can continuity of care be assured?  According to a Walgreens executive, Take Care Clinic staff will be able to transmit test results and info electronically to a patient's primary care physician.  Read more

What do you think...Is Walgreens overstepping the retail clinic’s boundary of care?

Source:  Kaiser Health News