A recently published study by the RAND Corporation examined whether a trip to one of the growing number of retail clinics would disrupt doctor-patient relationships.
The results were mixed:
- Those visiting retail clinics were less likely to return to their primary care physician.
- Yet, no evidence revealed that retail clinic visits disrupted preventative medical care or diabetes management (key measurement of quality of care).
Rachel O. Reid, a study co-author noted,
"Retail clinics are still in their infancy and over time we may or may not observe a more negative impact of retail clinics on preventive care or continuity of medical care."
The study included a review of Aetna insurance claims from
2007-2009. Patients visiting a retail clinic with an acute condition in
2008 were identified. Researchers compared the retail clinic patient's
pattern of care with those who visited a primary care physician for an
acute condition during the same timeframe. >>Read more
While self-insurance has been the go-to option for large companies* - not so for small employers. However, is there a market shift adrift? In a recent
blog post in Healthcare Finance News,
Robert Laszewski keeps the discussion going. He suggests that the movement by smaller employers to
self-insurance is “on the cusp of becoming a market trend.” With ACA implementation on the horizon,
this isn’t a new topic. In a 2011 report, the RAND Corporation outlined influential factors in an employer's decision to self-insure. >>Read more
*
96% of workers in firms of 5,000+ covered by self-insured
plans
