“Lancaster General opened its first retail clinic in Lancaster County this morning, in the Walmart on Lincoln Highway East in East Lampeter Township…The clinic is one of three Lancaster General plans to open. It opened its first one in the Parkesburg Walmart in Chester County last month. It will open its third one in the Giant supermarket in Warwick Township next month. And Lancaster General is in discussions about possibly opening a fourth clinic, in the Giant in the Lancaster Shopping Center.”
WATCHDOG: Two different takes on these developments:
1) Lancaster General Health offering urgent care clinics as an alternative to time consuming and expensive trips to the emergency room at the hospital is a big plus and most welcome, at least by the public.
2) To the extent this increases LGH’s strangle hold on health care in the county, it is likely to increase their monopolistic profits, already far above the norm for hospitals throughout the state and country.
The key is whether the trustees of LGH recognize that they are a ‘Public Charity’ and as such should be using a significant portion of their ‘Excess’ (or what for-profits call ‘Profits’) to further public health, education and other worthwhile services for the community.
In 2007 / 2008 fiscal year, LGH only donated 1% for these purposes. It should be 20% or better. Imagine what $20 million as a dividend to the community could accomplish!
