WSJ.com - Many Americans Open to Care At Retail-Based Health Clinics

The future of healthcare?

WSJ.com - Many Americans Open to Care At Retail-Based Health Clinics: "Many Americans Open to Care
At Retail-Based Health Clinics
THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ONLINE
October 26, 2005

Many Americans believe retailers can provide an alternative to a doctor's office visit via onsite clinics, a new Wall Street Journal Online/Harris Interactive health-care poll finds.
As consumers' out-of-pocket costs for health-care services continue to rise, retail chains like Wal-Mart and CVS are stepping in to provide basic medical services via retail-based clinics, The Wall Street Journal reported recently. (See related article). The clinics, which don't require an appointment, provide routine medical services such as strep-throat tests, sports physicals and flu shots for about $25 to $60 per visit.
Thus far, only a small minority of adults (7%) have used the clinics, according to the online Harris poll of 2,245 adults, but those who have used them are largely satisfied: 92% say they have been satisfied with the convenience provided by such clinics, which are often open during evening and weekend hours, and 89% say they are satisfied with the quality of care, which is usually provided by nurse practitioners, who can legally treat patients and write prescriptions in most states.
The poll also finds fairly strong interest in these clinics among people who haven't used them: 41% say they would be likely to use an onsite health clinic for basic medical services, compared with 59% who say they aren't likely to use them.
Among the concerns noted, 71% say they would be worried about the qualifications of the staff and 75% would be worried that serious medical problems might not be accurately diagnosed. "