A proposal to put medical mini-clinics at five CVS/pharmacy stores in Rhode Island has been taken off the table, with no explanation, just as a state board
Minnesota-based MinuteClinic Inc., which now has clinics in CVS stores in its home state, as well as Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, North Carolina and Tennessee, applied for a license in May to open clinics here, saying it would invest $2 million to $2.5 million for the first five locations.
The concept behind MinuteClinics is simple: Make health care cheap and easily accessible by putting small walk-in clinics inside retail stores. Staffed by nurse practitioners who rely on computerized treatment guidelines, with a doctor on call to advise them, the clinics offer treatment for a limited set of common ailments, with no long waits, no appointments, and low fees – typically $44 per visit, far less than a doctor’s consultation or an ER visit.
The plan was to open Sept. 5 at five hand-picked sites: in Barrington, the Garden City area of Cranston, East Greenwich, Wakefield and the East Side of Providence.
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But at an initial hearing July 28, the state Health Services Council, which reviews license applications, raised multiple questions about the company’s finances, its policies and its willingness to serve the neediest Rhode Islanders.
Dr. Fredric V. Christian, then president of the Rhode Island Medical Society, also stepped in, saying the clinics could become a “disruptive player” in the system, undermining primary care. Health Insurance Commissioner Christopher F. Koller also expressed reservations.
At a second hearing on Aug. 23, MinuteClinic officials continued to face skepticism, and the council followed up with more questions to be answered in writing.
The company requested delays while it formulated its response, and then finally, a third hearing was scheduled for last Tuesday. On Dec. 1, however, Patricia K. Rocha, a local lawyer for MinuteClinic, notified the council that the application was being withdrawn.
Rocha gave no explanation, and she did not return calls seeking comment. CVS Corp. also did not respond to a reporter’s inquiry.
“It’s not clear to us why they withdrew,” said Dr. David R. Gifford, the state health director. Asked whether it was a good or bad thing for Rhode Island, given the many concerns that had been raised, he replied: “I think anytime you bring something new into health care, you have to look at both positive and negative potential impacts.”
“We were looking forward to having a discussion with them,” Gifford said, “or [with] any other entity looking to improve access to care, especially after-hours and on weekends, and improve efficiency.”
