In this post, we continue to summarize key findings from a December report by the Commonwealth Fund on the status of retail clinics in the US. An earlier post on the subject appears directly below.

The most common reason (48%) for visiting a retail clinic between 2006 and 2008 was for diagnosis and treatment of a new symptom or illness. Childhood ailments such as earache, sore throats and upper respiratory infections topped the list.

About half as many (23%) retail clinic visitors needed a vaccination and 14% visited the facility to obtain a physical exam required for school, camp or employment.

When asked why they visited a retail clinic over a traditional care setting, 64% of respondents said the clinic’s lengthy hours of operation were a major factor. Roughly the same percentage indicated that the location was more convenient. The ability to walk-in without an appointment was cited by 53%.

Just under half the visitors to retail clinics cited low costs as a principal reason for choosing the venue, while a third indicated they had no other source of care.

It appears that the brief period of unbridled growth in the number of retail clinics has ended. In the first 5 months of 2008 for example, 70 clinics in 15 states were shut down, and the nation’s largest clinic operator, MinuteClinic, announced it would pare back its expansion plans.

That may be so, but the expanding insurance coverage for services provided at retail clinics and rising problems accessing care at traditional venues assure that these convenient providers won’t be disappearing anytime soon.

In its recent report on the status of retail-based health clinics, the Commonwealth Fund suggests that overall utilization remains low, but a recent slowdown in new openings may disproportionately impact uninsured Americans who lack affordable primary care alternatives.

This post and another tomorrow provide a quick update on key findings from the Commonwealth Fund’s report on retail clinics.

Retail clinics are located inside supermarkets, pharmacies and retailers. They provide simple preventive services such as vaccinations and are equipped to diagnose and treat simple health conditions like sore throats and minor rashes.

They are usually staffed by nurse practitioners and remain open during evenings and weekends. Their fee schedules are easy to see and understand, and they tend to keep prices low. They work almost exclusively on a walk-in basis; no appointments are required.

The number of retail clinics exploded from 60 in mid-2005 to more than 1,100 by mid-2008, but virtually all this growth occurred in the first half of this period.

About 3.4 million families have used a retail clinic at least once. That’s 2.3% of all US families. There are wide variations in retail clinic utilization across states however. Minnesota boasts the highest utilization: 6.4% of families in that state have used retail clinics at least once.

Uninsured families (those with at least one member who lacks insurance) comprise 27% of retail clinic users. Overall, 17% of US families are uninsured, meaning that uninsured families use retail clinics more frequently than those with insurance.

Insured families report that half the time their carriers paid for at least some of the fees they incurred during a visit to a retail clinic. Fully 85% of retail clinics now accept insurance, a marked change from the cash-only business model that dominated just a few years ago.