Physician groups respond to market pressure

The New York Times outlined some interesting dynamics that are emerging in the world of primary care. For a long time, people went to their primary care physician for their first line of care. While their physicians might have had inconvenient hours (requiring patients to take time off of work), patients might have had few other choices. As urgent care centers and retail clinics have become more popular and have offered more convenient hours and locations, patients have started to engage with these new formats for their primary care. The traditional physician groups have taken notice and some have started to adapt by offering such formats themselves.

Where consumers have a choice and where suppliers have an incentive to better meet consumer needs, healthy market dynamics will often drive the suppliers to offer better value (in this case, more convenient venues). There appears to be some question as to whether or not the quality of care is the same across these different formats. If quality metrics (and results) were readily available, consumers might be able to make an even more informed choice.