Mini-clinics are the McDonald’s of medicine

In large metropolitan areas, it seems these retail health clinics are popping up just as fast as the new Starbuck's or McDonald's on every street corner. If you haven't seen or been to one, you can rest assured that one will eventually find its place a block or two away.

These clinics are geared to reach a public tired of waiting days, and sometimes weeks, to see their physicians. Their business model is to provide convenience, and good quality of care at an affordable cost. Of course, this begs the question…is that what you're really getting?

Your health versus the bottom line

This type of market fragmentation is not unique to the American business model. As a medical physician and the founder of Scottsdale Medical Center, it is easy to see the cost effectiveness of using the least qualified personnel and the least inexpensive materials bought at bulk as a common-sense means of increasing the bottom line.

And while this is a very common business practice across most industries, the fact that we are talking about medicine should make the dangers of this philosophy apparent. While this certainly works for McDonald's, Starbuck's and Jiffy Lube…the bottom line is that this is not a hamburger or an oil change. This is people's health on the line.

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