The Corporate Buy Out of Primary Care

We see it all over social media; Amazon, Walmart, Walgreens, and a list of many others that are jumping into the primary care world. They believe by purchasing local and regional primary care  clinics and urgent care centers, they can make them profitable and offer this “new and improved” healthcare model to their employees and the general public. We would then come flocking to this new healthcare offering and share in their vision. Well unfortunately these corporate behemoths are finding out that healthcare is not your traditional business to consumer model. The media is littered with these failed attempts at reinventing healthcare. When you stack your high-level administration with Chief Medical Officers from Ivy League schools who have never had any exposure to a private primary care clinic it is easy to see the leadership they offered was very misguided.  These companies are coming to realize the struggles primary care has dealt with for years and having a big name as your owner will not get you better insurance contracts!Those primary care providers who thought that working for a big name would bring them the stability and financial security they have longed for are learning the hard way. Once these clinics are closed, they are left scrambling to find another employed position. If they are lucky, they will be bought up by another entity who will make their practice of healthcare miserable trying to turn a profit. Primary care physicians that are in the ‘trenches’ are the ones best suited to lead the charge in improving the healthcare model, but many are afraid to take risks. So many providers are unaware that an independent practice under the umbrella of a micropractice design will almost assure one of success. A provider that is not beholden to corporate entities or insurance companies is best qualified to offer affordable and cost-effective care. These providers are much happier and have a practice they can call their own.