The AAFP formally changed its policy regarding Retail Health Clinics (RHC) late last week. The move was in response to several national RHCs expanding their scope of services to include chronic disease management. The NCAFP played a major role in raising awareness of the issue after learning of scope-of-service expansion plans at some retail health clinics operating in North Carolina. In addition, the AAFP received notification by two of the nation's largest retail health chains of their intent to move forward into chronic disease management. AAFP had previously endorsed only a 'well-defined and limited scope of services' by retail health clinics.

Along with the policy change, the AAFP also moved to discontinue its practice of entering into formal agreements with retail health clinics that support its desired attributes. The AAFP Board made the changes after a review of the policy by the Commission on Practice and Quality, chaired by North Carolina's own Dr. Karen Smith. The AAFP has published its revised policy on Retail Health Clinics online.

You can find it at http://www.aafp.org/online/en/home/policy/policies/r/retailhealthclinics.html.