Local pharmacies add walk-in clinics

Some area drugstores are finding new ways to help you when you're sick. They're adding walk-in clinics to their pharmacies to give patients a fast track to recovery.

"The goals here are to provide the highest quality healthcare coupled with the lowest cost, all while getting you in and out quickly," said Nurse Practitioner Erica Shaw. "It's all about affordability and convenience," she said.

Shaw works with ExpressHEALTH in Jefferson County.

JeffCo Drug Center in Jefferson City joined with ExpressHEALTH Clinic earlier this year, treating minor illnesses like sinus infections and influenza. They say patient reaction has been positive.

"Everybody that comes in says 'this is fabulous, we love it, we've been looking for something like this," Shaw said.

Slade Claiborne woke up Sunday morning feeling ill. He came to the clinic, signed in, saw a nurse and got his prescription, all in just 20 minutes time.

"I could call a doctor tomorrow and it may take a couple days to go in and get an appointment, spend two hours there to see a nurse and get a prescription," Claiborne said. "Here you can just come in. It saves a lot of time for me," he said.

CVS Pharmacies opened five similar clinics in Knoxville last week, but the growing trend has some doctors concerned. They warn patients that such facilities have no on-site physicians.

ExpressHEALTH says that's not a problem and that they're interested in relief, not replacement.

"We treat acute, minor illnesses -- pulled muscles, ear infections," Shaw said. "If we do see somebody that's beyond our scope, we send them on and always tell people to follow up with their primary-care doctor," she said.

The convenience of walk-in clinics has also caught the attention of Wal-Mart, which will add 400 clinics to their stores over the next three years.