Walkin' In To Walgreens

The ads for Walgreen's Take Care Clinics have been hard to miss; they promise quick convenient care for routine health conditions like the chest cold that was dragging me down this week. So I gave the nearest clinic a shot. Here's what I found.

I signed in at a touch screen computer which asked for the usual name, rank and serial number. I was also prompted to select the condition I wanted treated and given the cost of the consult. I think it was $56. Not a Co-Pay, this was the all inclusive price. There's a first - I know in advance what my health care encounter will cost. Cool!

An aide then took me into the one (and only) private room that looked just like a doctors office. Same examination table, sink, charts on the wall etc. No one asked me to disrobe. Cool, again! The Nurse Practitioner ("PhD, APNP" to be precise) that promptly entered the room had the usual white coat and stethoscope. After listening to me describe my symptoms she pretty much checked the usual things a doctor checks; blood pressure, eyes, ears, nose and throat. Then my heart and lungs. Yup, I have a virus. Nope, no pneumonia. Pretty standard cold. I'm just hoping to get an antibiotic and get the heck out of there but she's wise to the usual exaggeration of how long I've been suffering. (Haven't we all been pretty much conditioned to stretch the truth to get our drugs - especially since our insurers are paying for them!) She recommends instead an over the counter med and a prescription inhaler. Combined, the two meds are another $39.

So now the wheels are turning; would Walgreen's make more money on this course of treatment or on the sale of the expensive antibiotic. (What a cynic!) I guess I don't know nor do I care if this cheaper stuff works. The jury is still out on that. I paid for both the consult and the meds with a swipe of my HSA credit card. My insurance company will never see the claim and Walgreen's has their money without any delay.

In all I was at the Take Care Clinic almost an hour. And today when I got home I had a letter from 'my' Nurse Practitioner with a little professional advice on the need to keep current with annual exams etc. Believe it or not, I got a phone call too. How was I feeling? Did I want any more information? Wow! This is the kind of customer service every business tries to achieve. Nice job Walgreen's. All of that 'fluff' however is unimportant unless she got the diagnosis and treatment right. Without the MD after her name, there is just a hint of doubt.