Convenient Care Clinics: The Future of Accessible Health Care—The Formation Years 2006–2008

Abstract

In the 2 years since the Convenient Care Association (CCA), a nonprofit organization representing the members of the Convenient Care industry, was founded, this new model has gained significant traction in the health care marketplace and in the awareness of health care consumers. When the CCA was formed, fewer than 200 clinics were in operation. Now, there are more than 1000 clinics seeing patients, and more than 3.5 million patient visits have been recorded across the country. As the industry has expanded, some challenges have arisen, mostly in the form of legislative and regulatory initiatives aimed at impeding clinic operation. The CCA and its members continue to undertake substantial efforts to build comprehensive quality processes into the convenient care model. The effect of these measures has been to mitigate the allegations of poor quality and inconsistent care that have been levied against the clinics. The media and public responses have been generally positive, and policy makers and other decision makers have been receptive to the benefits convenient care can offer to their constituents.

Incorporating Alternative Care Site Characteristics Into Estimates of Substitutable ED Visits

“…5,12,13 For retail clinics and urgent care centers, we searched the website of a major retail clinic chain, 14 and communicated with and examined reports from national associations of retail clinics (the Convenient Care Association) and urgent care centers (the Urgent Care Association of America, personal communication, 2016). 15 We also searched for specific Current Procedure Terminology codes in retail clinic and urgent care claims contained in the 2014 Truven MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database, a convenience sample of claims from over 47 million individuals aged 0-64 with employer-sponsored insurance. 16 We found evidence of substantial variation in functional capabilities within similar sites.…”

“…According to the Convenient Care Association, most retail clinics are open for up to 12 hours a day on weekdays and up to 8 hours a day on weekends, although some retail clinics are closed on weekends. 15 Therefore, we defined basic operating hours for retail clinics as 8 AM-8 PM on weekdays, and extended operating hours as 8 AM-8 PM on weekdays and 8 AM-5 PM on weekends. According to the Urgent Care Association of America, most urgent care centers are open 7 days a week for up to 12-16 hours a day, although some urgent care centers are closed on weekends (Urgent Care Association of America, personal communication, 2016).…”

Why go to a Hospital Minor Care Clinic? Considerations Important to the Patient

“…These same aliments make up 12% of Emergency Department visits [5]. When the first convenient care clinic-also referred to as a retail clinic, in-store clinic, or mini-clinic was opened in 2000, it was the manifestation of the consumer's desire for health care that would be considerably more accessible and affordable than what was available, without compromising the quality of the care provided [6].…”

Nurse practitioners: An insight into their integration into Australian community pharmacies

“…about fragmentation of care and patient safety have also been raised in the United States, where in-pharmacy 'convenient care clinics' have been staffed by a NP since 2000. 15 These issues are worthy of further exploration in the Australian context. A recent Australian study that investigated the role, responsibilities and patterns of practice of NPs did not include the primary care model found in community pharmacy, 16 and other studies that focused on NPs' prescribing and counselling practices were not representative of NPs in the private sector.…”