DR Walk-in Medical Center at Union Square for quality health care

 A new way to receive affordable, quality health care arrives in lower Manhattan today, as the physicians of New York Walk In Medical Group, PC, open a DR Walk-in Medical Center in the new Duane Reade at 1 Union Square.  

The "health store" facility is part of a growing trend.  Walk-in medical centers are already located in about 1,000 retail locations across the country, and experts say the number could double in five years.  

For busy New Yorkers, the chief advantages are convenience, affordability, and quality of care.  If a person's primary physician is not available, it is far less hassle to visit a nearby drugstore than to visit an emergency room for non-life-threatening medical problems.

The DR Walk-In Medical Centers are staffed by licensed physicians who can take care of most common illnesses, minor injuries, lacerations, routine screenings, physical exams, vaccinations, and referrals to specialists.

More than 50,000 New Yorkers have visited the DR Walk-In Medical Centers since the first one was opened in 2007, according to Dr. Maggie Bertisch, MD, Medical Director for New York Walk-In Medical Group.  After patients are treated, the doctors can refer them back to their local primary or specialty care physicians, maintaining continuity of care. The facilities use electronic medical records to improve patient safety and coordination with other health care providers.

The medical practice is affiliated with Beth Israel Medical Center and St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center, giving patients access to several of New York's top health care facilities.  

"With the addition of the 1 Union Square location, Duane Reade celebrates the opening of our seventh Doctor on Premises location," said Frank V. Scorpiniti, Senior Vice President, Pharmacy Operations, Duane Reade.  "Our patients and customers have reacted very positively to the high-quality service and health care being provided through the health stores. In collaboration with CHS, we're focusing on making New Yorkers' lives a little easier."

"Serving the high-energy communities in Lower Manhattan by providing convenient, affordable and quality care for minor ailments is definitely a step in the right direction," said Harris M. Nagler, MD, President of Beth Israel Medical Center.  "At Beth Israel, we are here to help those neighborhoods."  

The DR Walk-in Medical Centers are managed by Consumer Health Services, Inc. (CHS), the premier provider of on-site, physician-directed consumer health centers.