Market for Retail Clinics Expected to Expand
KQED's "The California Report" on Thursday reported on a report by the California HealthCare Foundation on the growth of the retail clinic industry (Varney, "The California Report," KQED, 7/20).
Retail clinics typically are based in chain pharmacies and large retail establishments. The clinics offer treatment for minor, nonurgent illnesses, including strep throat and ear infections. Most clinics are staffed by nurse practitioners, and visits typically cost between $40 and $70.
There currently are 150 retail clinics nationwide, with three in California, but thousands of new clinics are expected to open within the next two years, according to the report (California Healthline, 7/18).
The segment includes comments from:
- Dr. Arthur Chan, president of Wellness Express Clinics;
- Dr. Arnold Millstein, a partner at Mercer Health and Benefits;
- Tom Saleni, editor of the Venture Capital Analyst Newsletter on Health Care; and
- Roger Vickford, a physician assistant who works at a retail clinic.