When a sore throat isn’t really a sore throat

The store clinic concept has come to many Emergency Departments. Midlevel providers are being used to replace Traige Nurses so they can send out the small stuff right from triage with a 2 miniute exam but at ER prices. ER’s can also claim their Door to Provider time (an important ER metric) as 0 even if the patient goes on to see the ED MD. The scary part is how many corners are being cut in some ER’s to be competative with WalMart. This is great for the patients who do not need to be there. As an ER Nurse I would rather see the very low acutiy patient have the option of a Walmart or retail clinic. It gives an affordable option to the working uninsured.