Business
Retail clinics serving relatively small patient population
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Dec. 29, 2008
Only about 3.4 million, or 2.3% of American families, had used a retail clinic as of 2007, according to a study from the Center for Studying Health System Change released in December 2008.
The study found that among those using the clinics, 27% had at least one family member who was uninsured. Families with members age 18 to 34 were more than twice as likely to use a retail clinic than those age 50 to 64. Those who had not gotten needed care, or had delays getting care, were 2½ times more likely to use a retail clinic.
The study's authors reported that retail clinics have turned out to be more complex and costly to operate than expected, and that the response of some traditional physician practices has been to extend office hours and do more same-day scheduling.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2008/12/29/bibf1229.htm.
