Retail Health Clinics Sign Academy Agreement

Three retail health clinics prominent in the national health care market have signed an agreement in support of the Academy's list of desired attributes for such clinics.

Dubbed "the big three" by AAFP leaders, RediClinic, MinuteClinic and Take Care Health Systems have entered into an agreement with the Academy in which they consent to, among other things

According to the agreement, either party -- AAFP or the clinic -- can terminate the agreement at any time without cause by giving no less than 30 days notice.

"The Academy does not endorse these clinics, nor will it police them," said AAFP President Rick Kellerman, M.D., of Wichita, Kan. "The main thing is to determine some common ground with the retail clinics and open up communication channels so that we can ensure patient safety.

"AAFP involvement allows us a measure of input so that we can help shape the industry. We know family physicians have lots of concerns about retail clinics; however, the proliferation of these clinics is sending physicians a message that consumers want convenience.

"Family physicians need to continue to position themselves as leaders in the provision of health care by providing high-quality, patient-centered health care that is convenient for their patients to access," Kellerman concluded.

Indeed, the concept of quick, convenient health care has seen incredible growth since the first retail health clinic opened in 2000. The expansion of the niche health care market -- referred to by some as "convenient care" -- has even prompted the establishment of the Convenient Care Association, or CCA, in 2006. The organization's mission is to advance the future of so-called convenient care clinics.

According to CCA Policy Director Ann Ritter, more than 20 companies currently operate nearly 280 clinics in nearly 30 states. And the market is still growing, she added.

"Definitely, we expect the numbers to grow in 2007," said Ritter. "Just based on what our members are planning and on what outside analysts have predicted for the industry, we would not be surprised if there are about 400 clinics, including non-CCA members (such as MinuteClinic) operating by the end of 2007."

A variety of factors are pushing that growth, said Ritter, but consumer demand tops the list. "There are consumers who think this is a good idea and support the clinics already out there," she said.

Ritter also attributed some of that growth to new players on the scene. Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, which operates Aurora QuickCare, and AtlantiCare in New Jersey, which owns and operates AtlantiCare HealthRite, are two of a handful of large, integrated health care systems that have added retail clinics to their plethora of services.

Although there have been scattered reports of some retail health clinics closing their doors, according to Ritter, "no CCA members have shut down entirely." She added that one or two CCA members have closed clinics in a few of their markets.

The Academy is taking advantage of every opportunity to make its voice heard. In 2006, MinuteClinic and RediClinic both invited the Academy to appoint family physician representatives to their respective clinical quality advisory boards. Mary Campagnolo, M.D., of Lumberton, N.J., a member of AAFP's Commission on Quality, serves in that capacity for RediClinic; Andrew Eisenberg, M.D., of Sarasota, Fla., a member of AAFP's Commission on Practice Enhancement, accepted an appointment to MinuteClinic's clinical quality advisory board.