Retail Medical Clinics

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Rand Study: Retail Clinics and Cost of Care

Rand research study of retail clinic use and the impact on the cost of medical care. They found that using retail medical clinics for low severity conditions actually increased costs modestly. Some people substituted lower cost walk-in clinics for regular medical clinics. But the total cost increased, because the convenience permitted more patients to seek care instead of skipping it. Thus, total cost went up slightly ($14 per person per year). So to answer the question – do retail clinics save money?  The answer is probably not, because now more people seek treatment when it’s more convenient. However, people theoretically would feel healthier sooner, by getting care. Published 2016.