Popularity of 'Walk-In' Retail Health Clinics Growing: Poll

Trend driven by convenience, low cost and shortage of primary care doctors, Harris Interactive/HealthDay survey finds

January 8, 2013 RSS Feed Print

Twenty-seven percent of all adults surveyed said they have used either walk-in retail clinics (found at places such as CVS) or work-based clinics to obtain medical care in the past two years.

"With just over a quarter of all adults using either retail clinics or work-based clinics, they are now treating many millions of patients, many of whom might otherwise go to doctors' offices, and some of whom might go to hospital emergency rooms," said Taylor. "This is probably saving their health plans money, which explains why most of these patients' care is covered by their insurance."

According to the Convenient Care Association, the first retail-based convenient care clinic opened in the United States in 2000 and there are now more than 1,350 such clinics operating around the nation. MinuteClinic, which is found in CVS stores, has had 14 million patient visits since 2000.

More information

There's more on how to communicate with your health care provider at the National Patient Safety Foundation.