Last week, my buddy, Suze, worried that she had strep throat. She was feverish and her throat has hurt for a week. Since she’s rarely sick, she did not have a regular doctor for sore throats and coughs. Her mom told her to go to the clinic at a CVS or Duane Reade. For some reason, there are none in New York City, while they are springing up all over the country. We talked for a while why might be the case. But we kept coming back to one point — we loved the idea of these walk-in clinics.

Neither of us have regular doctors. She has bargain health program that nobody takes. And I am just not that organized. Getting a check up is always on the bottom of my to do list. So, when Steve and I get sick. We go to the walk-in doctors office, HealthNet. My parents also use a Doc in the Box. It’s convenient.

As generally healthy people, I only go to the doctor for a strep test. I’m prone to it. Either I have the flu or strep and any nurse can tell me that. I really don’t have the need for a doctor. I love the idea of going to CVS for the test where I can pick up a magazine and mascara while I wait. Predictably, the AMA is having a fit about it.