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Politics : A US National Health Care System? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: skinowski who wrote (6754)	5/6/2009 11:59:47 AM
From: Lane3	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

there is no shortage of smart nurses out there Did I miss something? I thought we had a severe nursing shortage going back decades.

To: skinowski who wrote (6754)	5/6/2009 12:20:58 PM
From: i-node	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

If the shortage of primary care docs is a serious as has been suggested (you mentioned the 2% figure, which I had seen somewhere before, as well), there will have to be a real change in the way primary care is done. There will be no choice but to have PAs and NPs as the "new" primary care provider. I know that more and more clinics I am in have NPs and PAs handling bigger pieces of the workload. I just think it a progression that has to happen. Regardless of what they do with the health care system, this is going to be a problem. I think it can go too far. I have one clinic in a small town where it is operated by a NP, purportedly supervised by an MD, but the MD is in that office a half day per week. While business is booming there, I do question the quality of care being delivered. I'm just not sure there is a lot of supervision going on there, if you know what I mean. There may be more to it than meets the eye, however - I could be wrong about it. I was talking w/ my sister last night and she was saying where they live it is SOP that you see a PA or NP unless you case is "escalated". So, I guess some places it is common practice.

To: skinowski who wrote (6754)	5/6/2009 12:48:37 PM
From: John Koligman	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 42652

That makes sense, some chains such as Walmart have opened health clinics that I think are staffed by nurse practitioners and/or physician's assistants for simple health problems... Regards, John Clinics at Walmart Independent health clinics are now offering healthcare services to our customers in select Walmart stores nationwide. These clinics provide one-stop convenience for many basic healthcare needs at affordable prices. Clinic Services All clinics offer essential preventative and routine health services for a standard set of common health aliments and screening needs that can be performed without urgent or emergency care, including: •Acne •Bladder infections •Blood sugar testing •Camp and school physicals •Cholesterol screening •Common vaccinations •Ear aches •Flu •Insect bites and stings •Minor wounds •Sinus infections •Upper respiratory infections •Wart removal Please contact the clinic nearest you for more information about their services and fees. Clinic Convenience Here are a few ways clinics save you time and money: No appointment is necessary to visit the clinics Clinics are open seven days a week. View clinic locations and hours. Patient data is electronic, which means limited time spent filling out forms and follow-up visits are quick and convenient All prices are posted clearly, so you always know the cost before treatment An average Get Well visit costs $65 or less. For additional pricing information, contact the clinic nearest you. Please note: Healthcare services are provided by independent healthcare clinics. Walmart does not own or operate the clinics and is not responsible for the delivery of medical services. The independent health clinics include: Aurora Quick Care, Express Aid, MedPoint Express, My Health Access, Quick Health, RediClinic, and Solantic. Some clinics accept insurance. Ask your local clinic if their services are covered by your specific health plan.