Clinic in grocery store provides convenience for one mom
05:42 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 29, 2006 By JANET ST. JAMES / WFAA-TVWFAA-TV The clinic, the first in North Texas, is located inside the new Carnival grocery store in OakCliff.
Elizabeth Hercules didn't wait for an appointment at the pediatrician to check out the little spots on her daughter. "I noticed them when I was giving her a bath this morning," said Hercules.
The clinic she's at is inside a grocery store. The new Carnival in OakCliff holds the first retail medical clinic in North Texas. "We are mainly here for urgent care. Colds, sinuses, otitis media, ear infections, flu," said Monica Tovar-Johnston.
The physician assistants and nurse practitioners who staff this clinic say they'll refer patients with chronic illnesses or emergencies. Developers say it's strategically located in a community where few people have insurance or family doctors.
"Especially in areas like this, that don't have a large number of physicians, this is a great opportunity to provide services that really suit the customer well," said Brian Jones, CEO of MedXpress.
Another advantage of this concept is that patients can go right from the clinic to pick up their prescription at the pharmacy just a few feet away. For Elizabeth Hercules, it gives new meaning to one-stop shopping. "It's incredibly convenient," said Hercules. And she didn't have to tell her kids they were going to the doctor. "I said, hey, we're going to the store," said Hercules.