Rapid Clinics LLC, a new Spokane company, has opened a non-emergency health clinic in the Rosauers supermarket in Spokane Valley, and says it hopes to open as many as five more such outlets here over the next several years.


Jay Molitor, Rapid Clinics vice president of business operations, says the company wants to establish a strong presence here before competing operators of such so-called convenience medical centers have a chance to enter the market.


Its a hot, hot concept right now. Its just a great way to address some of the issues people are facing, asserts Molitor, who also is one of the companys owners.


The Rapid Clinics center in the Valley store of Rosauers Supermarkets Inc., at 10618 E. Sprague, employs eight people and occupies about 500 square feet of space, where it has set up a reception area, waiting area, and two exam rooms.


Like other such centers around the country, its staffed by registered nurse practitioners and is designed to treat minor everyday ailments such as colds, rashes, muscle strains, allergies, and sinus infections. It also offers vaccinations, immunizations, routine blood tests, physicals, and various types of screening, such as for cholesterol and diabetes.


Appointments arent necessary, and the clinic operates on a 15 minute-per-appointment schedule so that patients can get in and out as quickly as possible, Molitor says. The clinic accepts most types of health insurance, but will give cash discounts to those patients who dont have insurance or who choose to pay in cash, he says.


The clinic is located inside a supermarket so that patients can go to the in-store pharmacy a short walk away to have prescriptions filled, and its open seven days a week, including 12 hours on weekdays and eight hours on weekends, he says.


Wed like to have our second one open by the end of the year, Molitor says. The company hasnt determined yet where that clinic will be located, but all of the clinics will be in supermarkets or other retail outlets where there is a pharmacy, he says.


Rapid Clinics will seek to have all six clinics open within probably the next couple of years, and then will look to begin opening outlets elsewhere throughout the Inland Northwest, he says.


Molitor estimates that about 500 convenience medical clinics currently are operating across the U.S. and says that number is expected to jump to several thousand within a few years. Some large national retail chains, such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Walgreen Co., plan to install them in some of their stores, he says.


We believe we distinguish ourselves from some of our competition by providing private exam rooms and a waiting room in each clinic, rather than one large open room, and by utilizing certified medical assistants, working with our nurse practitioners, he says.


Rapid Clinics, like other such clinic operators, emphasizes that its intent is not to compete with family doctors, but rather to complement the services those physicians provide by giving patients an option for the treatment of uncomplicated care, such as when their primary-care providers arent available.


We believe everyone should have a medical home, and we arent a medical home, Molitor says. At the end of every visit, if the patient tells us their providers name, we can fax that record to their provider. If they prefer, we can give them a copy of their treatment record that they can take to their doctor. He adds, If a patient doesnt have a medical home, well give them the names of family practice providers in the area so they can establish one.


Contact Kim Crompton at (509) 344-1263 or via e-mail at kimc@spokanejournal.com.