Clinic proposal for Manatee County government employees dubious

I own and operate several urgent cares/walk-in clinics in the area, currently serve as vice president of the Manatee County Medical Society and have served on committees pertaining to indigent care in the county.

There are many questions we need to ask ourselves as a county before the government jumps into the clinic business.

How much will it cost?

I have extensive experience running these types of clinics, and I can tell you they are expensive.

Are they going to be open evenings and weekends?

Will they do procedures, X-rays, help keep minor problems out of the hospital?

Do we really want to take the county employees away from their regular doctors that they know, trust, have history with and have been seeing for the last 10-15 years?

Are we planning on taking kids out of their regular pediatrician offices?

Will they be set up as to where they will be incentivized so county employees are mostly forced to use them?

Does that make sense for with the patient or their physician?

Would the county be liable for medical malpractice suits that may arise?

How can we justify the funding of a clinic and at the same time deny funding to the indigent population in our county? We have been told time and time again by the county that we have no money to fund the indigent care that is needed in our community.

In my opinion, the county should not be in competition with the local medical community.

In conclusion, I would like you to seriously consider the consequences of having a clinic specifically for Manatee County government patients and the effect on their regular physicians. We all want to do what is best for the patients.

Dr. Eric Folkens, MD

Bradenton

This story was originally published February 16, 2016 at 12:00 AM with the headline "Clinic proposal for Manatee County government employees dubious ."