Sunday, February 28, 2010

For-profit medical centre set to open

This has been "Where are they now?" week when it comes to some of the Canadian internet pharmacy pioneers. It's been interesting to see where they're at these days.

From the Winnipeg Free Press:
Charleswood is set to become a new front in the battle for private for-profit medical care.

The Four Rivers Medical Clinic will open a new centre at 5905 Roblin Blvd. this spring that will charge patients who are treated by nurse practitioners, registered nurses who have advanced medical training.

Internet pharmacy pioneer, downtown property developer and medical clinic operator Daren Jorgenson said he believes the time is right to charge patients a nominal fee for basic health care in place of them not being able to find a family physician.

"I think everyone understands our current health-care system is broke," Jorgenson said. "Is there any family medicine physician in Charleswood accepting new patients? No. Can I recruit 10 doctors for Charleswood? No, I can't. But what I can do is recruit some nurse practitioners and, partnered with some doctors, deliver a mixed model of fee-for-service."

The clinic is already renovated to begin operation and all Jorgenson is waiting to do is recruit some nurse practitioners. Still, it hasn't been an easy sell.

"There's some that believe that anytime you charge a patient money that somehow you're against Tommy Douglas and our universal health-care system," he said. "But then you remind them that dental care is health care and you pay for that and a pharmacist is health care and you pay for that." ...more

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