County wrong to establish clinic for its employees

This is response to the Herald's stories about Manatee County's plan to establish its own primary health care clinic for county employees.

I am confused. Karen Stroud of the county said it would be "inaccurate" to say the clinic would take away patients from community physicians because it would not "provide speciality care." What does she call the primary care physicians in the community? Are they not community doctors? They are the engine that pulls the train of health care.

This would not be an employees' only clinic, but include their families. How does this not impact community primary care physicians? The county and Herald have repeatedly discussed the need to lure doctors to the county. What message would the clinic send to primary care physicians considering moving here? Come and as a bonus you get to compete with the county and your own tax dollars!

Instead of the county setting up the clinic, why not hire nurse case managers who would have "the capability of chasing after the patient and engaging them in the program."

Stroud goes on to say, "It's focusing on preventative care." The New England Journal of Medicine, one of America's preeminent medical journals, in an article stated, "Although some preventative measures do save money, the vast majority reviewed in the health economics literature do not."

Craig Trigueiro, MD

Lakewood Ranch

This story was originally published January 26, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "County wrong to establish clinic for its employees ."