Content about Urgent care

Shifting patients away from hospital emergency rooms and into retail-based and urgent care walk-in clinics can significantly lower healthcare costs, improve access to care and reduce the impact of such chronic diseases as diabetes and hyperlipidemia, two health benefits experts asserted in a recent online presentation.

WATERTOWN, Mass — AthenaHealth has announced that it is recruiting for a retail clinic/urgent care-specific director of client development.

The Enterprise division manages the largest and most dynamic clients at AthenaHealth. These clients often have multiple c-suites or senior management teams in geographically dispersed locations.  Enterprise clients are growing through acquisition and/or consolidation strategies and are usually leading change in the industry and are considered thought leaders.

As the healthcare landscape continues to undergo significant changes, a new report by Marketdata Enterprises puts a number against a highly valuable and fast-growing segment of health care that will continue to grow regardless of who is elected president and what happens to healthcare reform: retail-based health clinics.


The September 2012 report, titled “The Market for Retail Health Clinics and Urgent Care Centers,” examined the operations of both convenient care clinics and urgent care centers.


WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Just as a new study emerged, putting a number against retail-based health clinics and indicating that the clinics are poised for strong growth in the coming years, southern Pennsylvania health insurer Independence Blue Cross announced that it is has added coverage for urgent care centers and retail health clinics, and developed a new Web tool to help members locate such facilities.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — The new data by Marketdata Enterprises is significant as it puts a number against a very valuable and fast-growing segment of health care that will continue to grow regardless of who is elected president and what happens to healthcare reform.

NASHVILLE — Solantic, the largest operator of urgent care centers in Florida, announced earlier this year that it is changing its name to CareSpot Express Healthcare and now, according to a local news report, the new signs went up this week in time for the official name change on Sept. 25.

Online Groupons for health services? Doctors and hospitals sharing patient data and treatment goals with retail clinics, pharmacies and urgent care centers? Hospitals luring patients with inviting atriums and indoor waterfalls? It’s all part of a wave of “retailization” as the nation’s transforming health system emerges from behind the walls of hospitals, labs and doctors’ offices, and repositions itself as a more retail-oriented, patient-friendly network of care.


BOSTON — Massachusetts lawmakers passed a massive healthcare bill that seeks to control healthcare costs and expands the services of limited-service clinics to allow for anything within the scope of practice for a nurse practitioner.

The legislation, which Gov. Deval Patrick said he would sign into law, includes an array of other cost-curbing provisions and is estimated to save as much as $200 billion in healthcare spending over the next 15 years.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — The news that Take Care Health Systems now enables patients to schedule an appointment online, as well as in the clinic, is important as it further demonstrates the clinic operator’s commitment to delivering convenient access to high-quality, affordable healthcare services. Furthermore, the added convenience comes at a time when the convenient care industry is gearing up for growth.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — The news that Take Care Clinic nurse practitioner Penny Strong has been honored by the Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nursing is important as it further promotes and supports the convenient care industry at large.

(THE NEWS: Illinois Society for Advanced Practice Nursing honors Take Care Clinic NP Penny Strong. For the full story, click here)

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — The other side of the retail clinic phenomenon is urgent care, which also is growing as the need for alternative sites of care becomes more apparent, and providers look to fill the gaps in health care. This is why it is important to note the news of Solantic’s expansion plans.

(THE NEWS: Solantic announces statewide hiring. For the full story, click here)

NEW ORLEANS — Take Care Health Systems, which is owned by Walgreens, has entered a collaborative agreement with Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center and LSU Healthcare Network to enhance coordination of care in the greater New Orleans region.