Duane Reade opens fifth walk-in medical clinic in New York

NEW YORK A new walk-in clinic at a Duane Reade store in Chelsea officially opened on Wednesday, making it the fifth Duane Reade location with "Doctor on Premises" walk-in medical care.

The physician-staffed clinic is managed by Consumer Health Services and is also affiliated with Beth Israel Medical Center and St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center. It is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and accepts most insurance plans.

"Walk-in, neighborhood-based medical care is a growing trend in this country, and it's a very positive trend," stated Dr. Maggie Bertisch, M.D., medical director for New York Walk-In Medical Group PC. "It allows healthcare providers to offer a more convenient, affordable alternative to crowded emergency rooms, while delivering safe, quality medical care in a New York minute." According to CHS, Duane Reade is planning to add more on-site health clinics in 2010.

As reported, Walgreens, which owns retail-based clinic operator Take Care Health Systems, announced on Wednesday that is has reached an agreement to buy Duane Reade in a deal valued at nearly $1.1 billion.