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250,000 Google results
Experts from this informative interview with an expert:
Retail-based health clinics have established a foothold across the nation and are a growing trend. With the costs of health services rising, these clinics offer affordable services in convenient locations, usually with only a short wait for service.
MinuteClinic, a subsidiary of CVS Corporation, is the largest provider of retail-based health care in the United States. Founded in May 9000, the Minneapolis-based management company has 113 MinuteClinic healthcare centers in 17 states. The clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission and staffed by board-certified family nurse practitioners and physician assistants to diagnose and treat common illnesses, such as strep throat, bladder infections, and athlete's foot. MinuteClinic also offers common vaccinations, such as flu, tetanus, and pneumonia. The healthcare centers are open seven days a week, and no appointment is necessary. The typical visit lasts about 15 minutes.
James Woodburn, MD, medical director for MinuteClinic, recently spoke with hfm about retail-based health clinics.
Can you explain what retail-based health clinics are?
A. We are conveniently located health clinics serving families with common family illnesses. Each clinic is part of an insurance plan's network and will accept the office visit copay indicated on the patient's health insurance card for payment. The clinics accept different forms of payment, including cash and credit cards. Ninety percent of our patients have insurance. Retail-based health clinics must be in a health insurance network. The American consumer will not go to a clinic that is not in the network.
Q. Why was MinuteClinic established?
A. MinuteClinic was the first retail-based health clinic in the United States. It was started by a friend of mine, who had the idea about 10 years ago. The same problem existed 10 years ago as it does today. The reason for MinuteClinic is that it's hard to get in to see your doctor, pure and simple. For those things like ear pain, bladder infection pain, and strep throat pain, doctors' offices can be so booked up, especially in the cough and flu season, that it may take days to get in. That's unacceptable. So MinuteClinic was established. That's the key for our success. We're meeting an unmet consumer need.
Q. What is the future outlook for retail-based health clinics?
A. It's pretty bright. There's an enormous explosion in growth happening in America with retail-based health centers, not just Minute Clinic. We're the largest, and we have every intention to remain the largest in America. We have a very aggressive growth plan in place for the next several years, but we also see a lot of competitors coming out, building aggressively as well. So, without doubt, there will be thousands of these clinics in the future. That will definitely have an impact on where people go to get care for common family illnesses. The final impact of that explosive growth is not known at this point.
Only $140 for the generic name for this established and still growing growing industry. At least 500 exist in the US right now, operated by many different companies and store chains. This could be a huge growth area. See the Google results for more info.
Moniker, 12/5/09
Experts from this informative interview with an expert:
James Woodburn, MD: on retail-based health clinics
Publication: Healthcare Financial Management
Publication: Healthcare Financial Management
Retail-based health clinics have established a foothold across the nation and are a growing trend. With the costs of health services rising, these clinics offer affordable services in convenient locations, usually with only a short wait for service.
MinuteClinic, a subsidiary of CVS Corporation, is the largest provider of retail-based health care in the United States. Founded in May 9000, the Minneapolis-based management company has 113 MinuteClinic healthcare centers in 17 states. The clinics are accredited by the Joint Commission and staffed by board-certified family nurse practitioners and physician assistants to diagnose and treat common illnesses, such as strep throat, bladder infections, and athlete's foot. MinuteClinic also offers common vaccinations, such as flu, tetanus, and pneumonia. The healthcare centers are open seven days a week, and no appointment is necessary. The typical visit lasts about 15 minutes.
James Woodburn, MD, medical director for MinuteClinic, recently spoke with hfm about retail-based health clinics.
Can you explain what retail-based health clinics are?
A. We are conveniently located health clinics serving families with common family illnesses. Each clinic is part of an insurance plan's network and will accept the office visit copay indicated on the patient's health insurance card for payment. The clinics accept different forms of payment, including cash and credit cards. Ninety percent of our patients have insurance. Retail-based health clinics must be in a health insurance network. The American consumer will not go to a clinic that is not in the network.
Q. Why was MinuteClinic established?
A. MinuteClinic was the first retail-based health clinic in the United States. It was started by a friend of mine, who had the idea about 10 years ago. The same problem existed 10 years ago as it does today. The reason for MinuteClinic is that it's hard to get in to see your doctor, pure and simple. For those things like ear pain, bladder infection pain, and strep throat pain, doctors' offices can be so booked up, especially in the cough and flu season, that it may take days to get in. That's unacceptable. So MinuteClinic was established. That's the key for our success. We're meeting an unmet consumer need.
Q. What is the future outlook for retail-based health clinics?
A. It's pretty bright. There's an enormous explosion in growth happening in America with retail-based health centers, not just Minute Clinic. We're the largest, and we have every intention to remain the largest in America. We have a very aggressive growth plan in place for the next several years, but we also see a lot of competitors coming out, building aggressively as well. So, without doubt, there will be thousands of these clinics in the future. That will definitely have an impact on where people go to get care for common family illnesses. The final impact of that explosive growth is not known at this point.
Only $140 for the generic name for this established and still growing growing industry. At least 500 exist in the US right now, operated by many different companies and store chains. This could be a huge growth area. See the Google results for more info.
Moniker, 12/5/09
