MinuteClinic Starts to Roll...

CVS MinuteClinic expansion continues… to meet their goal of 1500 clinics by 2017.  

The growth spike will result from the planned CVS Health acquisition of Target's pharmacy and clinic business (47 pharmacies in 47 states).  Target's 80 walk-in clinics will be rebranded as CVS MinuteClinics. Twenty new clinics are planned to open in Target stores within 3 years. >>Read more

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MinuteClinic…Here to Stay

MinuteClinic…Here to Stay

The retail arm of CVS Health - MinuteClinic - reached an impressive milestone.  Since opening its first retail clinics in 2000, MinuteClinic locations have served 25 million patients.  The retail clinic began as an experiment in Nebraska, New Mexico, Rhode Island and Wisconsin and has steadily evolved not only in size but service.  Today, Minute Clinic locations number approximately 1000 with the goal of over 1500 clinics by 2017.  Currently, the clinics offer 65 services and vaccinations (up from treating just 7 illnesses in the beginning).   >>Read more

Rite Aid Acquires RediClinic

Step aside CVS and Walgreens…Rite Aid will also 
offer consumers a convenient alternative to a long doctor's office wait.   The recent acquisition of RediClinic, a pioneer in the retail clinic industry, bolsters Rite Aid's health and wellness strategy.  RediClinic services include basic physical exams, screenings, immunizations.

The new parent will support Houston-based RediClinic's expansion in its home state of Texas and into select Rite Aid markets.  RediClinic opened in 2005 and currently operates 30 locations.  Rite Aid operates 4600 stores in 31 states.  >>Read more

Retail Clinics Continue to Roll Out

Up 7% percent (as of July 1) - that's the growth of retail clinics year over year, according to Merchant Medicine, a consulting firm in the field of walk-in medicine. 

Impressive…

Today, the total number of retail clinics is over 1400 in 38 states and Washington, D.C.* and the upward trend will continue.  Evidence is the recent announcement by CVS, Minute Clinic's owner, of their plans to double locations by 2016 from 570 to 1000.  

Not surprising…

After all, a Forbes article points to the fact that retail clinics are expected to be a key component of Obamacare when it kicks in next January (2014) -  either through a private health plan operating on an exchange or through Medicaid health insurance programs for the poor.  Read more>> 

Solid ground…

Healthcare's walk-in side must be doing something right.  An editor at Physicians Practice, suggested in a blog post that traditional practices could learn a few things from retail clinics.  During a recent visit, she was impressed with the walk-in's "cleanliness and efficiency in handling patient intake, prescription list, insurance information and payment all by one person."  Another important point, her "care-coordination was equally smooth".    

*Convenient Care Association

Retail Clinics Popular with High Earners

Trending up – that’s what a late 2012 survey report revealed about the use of retail clinics (generally located in drug stores and staffed by nurse practitioners or physican's assistants).   Not a surprise... that the survey publisher attributes the rise in use to convenience of appointment-free services, expanded hours compared to the average physician office and lower costs.  The survey from healthcare market research publisher, Kalorama Information, reported that 21.3% of US adults have visited a retail clinic - up from 10% in 2006.  

Now, Kalorama reports that retail clinics are favored more by higher earning households.   A survey of 2000 adults revealed that “59% of survey participants who said they used retail clinics had a household income of more than $50,000, while only 16 percent had a household income of under $25,000.”  Again, not a big stretch...as higher earners are visiting stores more frequently.  

As chain operators (Walgreen’s, CVS, Wal-mart, etc.) continue to promote their in-store clinics and offer services attractive to this income group (e.g.: camp physicals, weight loss programs), increased retail clinic visits is expected.  >>Read more

COMING SOON: Diagnoses and Drugs at a Walgreens Near You

© Webking | Stock Free Images

Walgreens  and its Take Care Clinic is taking another step into the primary care doctor’s space.  The network of retail store clinics will “expand its health care services to include diagnosing and treating patients for chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes and high cholesterol.” 
Nurse practitioners teamed with physician assistants will conduct tests, make diagnoses and referrals (more tests and doctors, as needed) and help patient manage their conditions. 

The initial reaction from several of the professional physician organizations is “Thumbs Down”.   A key concern is patient safety – with the addition of another primary care provider, can continuity of care be assured?  According to a Walgreens executive, Take Care Clinic staff will be able to transmit test results and info electronically to a patient's primary care physician.  Read more

What do you think...Is Walgreens overstepping the retail clinic’s boundary of care?

Source:  Kaiser Health News  

Onward and Upward for Urgent Care

Steady Growth...is the trend for urgent care centers in the US - based on the results from the 2012 Urgent Care Benchmarking Study.  Approximate growth from 2008-2010 was 300 centers per year.  In 2011, the growth rate nearly doubled and 80% of urgent care centers reported an increase in patient visits.  The study will soon be released by the Urgent Care Association of America (UCAOA), the industry arm providing leadership, education and resources for its members. 
Source:  Urgent Care Association of America

Retail Clinic Visits Up Four-Fold

American consumers have apparently enjoyed the convenience of retail clinics since they began appearing in pharmacies, supermarkets and malls in 2000.

A follow-up study recently released by Health Affairs provides an indication of the growth of patient visits to US retail clinics.  Using data from the 3 largest clinic operators (Minute Clinic, Take Care, Little Clinic), the study reveals that customer retail visits between 2007-2009 grew from 1.48M to 5.97M.  

Other findings include:

• 64.5% did not have a primary care physician 
• Majority of customers had insurance (70.5%) 
• 44.4% of visits occurred when physician offices were closed 
• Visits by age 64+ customers doubled vs. the initial study  

 According to study co-authors, Ateev Mehrotra and Judith Lave:

“It will be interesting to track demand at retail clinics after the Affordable Care Act is implemented…if wait times for appointments with primary care physicians increase nationwide, demand for the clinics might increase.”

Source:   Health Affairs blog, Chris Fleming