Visits to Retail Health Clinics Up by 403%, Study Finds
Visits to retail health clinics increased by 403% between 2007 and 2009, from 1.48 million visits to 5.97 million visits, according to a study published in Health Affairs. The study -- which is based on data from CVS Caremark's MinuteClinic, Walgreens' Take Care Health Systems and Kroger's Little Clinic -- found about 44% of clinic visits occurred during hours when physician offices often are closed. In addition, the study found that the number of retail clinics increased from about 300 at the start of 2007 to almost 1,200 by the end of 2010.
- "Retail Clinic Visits Continue Climb" (Robeznieks, Modern Healthcare, 8/16).