@SpecialK, The US healthcare system is totally different. While I agree, in theory, that healthcare should be a universal free service… That's just not the way it is here, and probably never will be. So, comparing what you do in NZ to what we do here is interesting strictly from an academic perspective. It's like comparing apples to… kiwi?
The urgent care clinic is certainly a great way to take the pressure off the hospital emergency departments, if people know to use it. We are in network for just about every insurance provider in the area, and the cash price is significantly less than an emergency department visit. It certainly makes sense for minor injuries and illness, occupational health issues, drug tests, x-rays, lab work… The marketing and education portion of that issue is one of the big reasons I was hired. Another part of my job is to develop and implement advertising and marketing campaigns to let people know what's appropriate for an urgent care visit and what's not. (And yes, that is an entirely separate compensation package then the clinical work.)
There are some urgent care clinics that are simply in it for the money, and while the owners of the practice where I work are certainly looking to make a profit, they aren't out to gouge the patients. (They could, quite easily.) We dispense about 50 different meds for an extremely low price and we found the patients pay for that convenience. It may not be only four bucks like you would pay at Walmart, but most of the standard meds are $10 or $15 per prescription.
As for the job, I can only equate it to working as a combo of unit tech/RN/MA at an emergency department. The paramedic does the initial assessment and triage, charts the findings, sets up the room for the mid-level, assists with procedures or performs them if they're in our scope, administers medications, draws and orders labs, handles most of the administrative paperwork aside from the actual discharge, does all follow up calls and of course the never ending stocking and cleaning.
As I mentioned before, it's a very different patient care experience from working as a street paramedic, but it's very similar as well. I've always felt that my strong point as a medic has been the development of my rapport and connection with patients. Any monkey can do the skills, but actually talking to people is what many medics struggle with. Having an authentic positive attitude, staying busy and working to move patients through the system in under 60 minutes is a fun challenge.
This may certainly not be the job for everyone, but, if you're ready to get off the ambulance, get out of the rain or snow or heat, not have your sleep interrupted at 3 o'clock in the morning for a stubbed toe and never, ever have to carry someone down a flight of stairs again, yet still use all of your assessment skills and practice at your level, this is a pretty good compromise.
i like it so far.
