Tired of waiting for an openingat the pediatrician's office, I took my son to an urgent carefacility yesterday.

I noticed the clinic's storefront a couple of weeks ago in arelatively new shopping development. Hmmm, I thought as I drove by,that place looks completely empty.

First, I checked online. The clinic had an attractive,well organized website that told me everything I needed to know:Location, services provided, clinic hours and backgroundinformation on all medical personnel.

The waiting room was clean, nearly empty and provided thestandard magazines, TV, toys and even a Keurig machine.

Onboarding was quick and simple. I completed a few forms,provided insurance information and soon after we were led to anexam room where a nurse practitioner discussed my son's symptomsand took his vitals. Soon, the doctor came in, examined his earsand confirmed the problem, a run of the mill ear infection. Shewrote a prescription for Amoxicillin and sent us on our way.

We were in and out in less than an hour.

Like financial services, many health care services arepractically commodities. When shopping for a commodity, conveniencetrumps trust, corporate structure and even price.

Sure, when it comes to major surgery, a chronic disease orchildbirth, you want to develop a relationship with a doctor youcan trust.

But an ear infection? This was the health and well being of myonly precious blessing, yet trust still wasn't worth waiting daysfor an appointment and hours in a waiting room for this sleepdeprived, working mama.

I'm all for modernizing field of membership rules, butredefining geographical boundaries and tweaking merger regs areonly a temporary fix. Going a step further to Capitol Hill toweaken or eliminate common bond requirements not only dangerouslyblurs the lines between credit unions and mutual savings banks, itwould inevitably produce unintended legislative consequences.

Yes, we need FOM modernization, but credit unions must alsoredefine membership value.

They can steal some ideas fromsubscription-based retail companies.

Blue Apron, a meal package delivery service to which Isubscribe, provides a great example. Each week, the service shipsan insulated box of ingredients to make two or three meals,depending upon the subscription selected. The company's website iswell organized and easy to use. Blue Apron automatically selectsthe week's menu, but subscribers can also modify it by selectingfrom a few choices online.

The service isn't knock-your-socks-off amazing, but it's exactlywhat I need. The few times a shipment delivered damaged or missingingredients, I used the 'contact us' email address to report it. Ireceived prompt apologies and credits to my bill.

Subscribers are also free to skip a week, a common feature ofthis business plan. Consumers hate long-term contracts like thoselevied by mobile providers, or memberships that refuse to die.

Blue Apron revolutionized the grocery commodity by eliminating atrip to the supermarket, and the premeasured ingredients alsoeliminate produce waste. The service also eliminates menu planningdrudgery.

That's Blue Apron's added value. Those who subscribe to theservice want more than an easy meal shipped to their door -those folks use the nifty Dominos app. Blue Apron subscribers arefoodies who lack the time and energy to pursue their hobby the oldfashioned way.

That common bond is real. I regularly post photos of my BlueApron meals on Facebook along with everyone else in the foodiecommunity.

Credit unions need to consider the new reality of consumer valueand adjust their business model accordingly.

They must find a way to deliver commoditized products like autoloans as conveniently as my urgent health provider did, and abandonmy pediatrician's outdated delivery methods that can keep patientswaiting hours beyond their appointment time.

At the same time, credit unions must re-examine field ofmembership values and needs, as Blue Apron has done.

Credit unions that figure out how to disrupt delivery andprovide real value will be the survivors and thrivers of thefuture.