Should I go to a health clinic in a mall or drug store ?

Yes, if you're positive that you have a relatively minor problem -- a sore throat, earache, or bladder infection -- and if you follow some common-sense guidelines from physician groups such as the American Medical Association (ama-assn.org) , the American Academy of Family Physicians (aafp.org) , or the American Geriatrics Society (americangeriatrics.org).

These little clinics are springing up all over -- though more slowly in New England than elsewhere -- with names like Take Care Health Centers, MinuteClinic, and RediClinic. They offer quick diagnoses and treatment for simple problems and often have ties to nearby drug stores. They're typically staffed by nurse practitioners, and some can do simple blood tests, but they usually do not have X-ray machines.

Do not use one of these clinics if you have new major symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, or leg swelling (a possible sign of a blood clot in the leg or heart failure), or if there is a change in a longstanding medical problem for which you're already seeing a regular doctor.

For chronic health problems, retail clinics are no substitute for seeing a doctor, said Dr. Jane Potter , president of the American Geriatrics Society.

Some retail health shops take insurance and some don't, with typical visits costing $50 to $60.

An article that ran last week in The New England Journal of Medicine touted the potential benefits of retail health shops, including the observation that many patients seem quite able to diagnose the simple kind of problems that the clinics are designed to treat. Some doctors, however, worry about the lack of follow-up and the potential competition with their own practices.

JUDY FOREMAN

Please e-mail health questions to Foreman@globe.com.