Market Strategies, Inc. (MSI) announced additional key findings from its 2007 MSInsight: Retail Clinic Revolution study of 600 retail clinic users and 900 potential users. One of the most surprising findings uncovered by the MSI study is that strong referral networks are now forming between retail clinics and traditional healthcare systems operating around them.
"This finding suggests that retail clinics have found value in being able to refer their challenging patients to local healthcare providers and are actively involved in doing so," stated John Thomas, MSI Vice President and head of its Healthcare Delivery Systems Division. Oftentimes, these referrals are directly to a specific specialist. Added Thomas, "Our findings indicate that retail clinics and local healthcare providers ¡ª in many cases, specialists ¡ª are working closely together to ensure that the patient receives the best and most complete care available. This can be a true win-win relationship for both retail clinics and specialists." Noted Thomas, "Through these relationships, retail clinics are proving to their patients that they are focused on ensuring they receive the best all-around care and local providers now have access to a volume of patients that they might not have had without the retail clinic in place."
Additionally, MSI's study reveals that affiliation with local hospitals, physicians, specialists or physician groups is seen as a very positive attribute for retail clinics. "In fact, our study found that nearly eight in ten consumers would be at least somewhat more likely to use a retail clinic that was affiliated with a hospital or health system," added Thomas. "What this tells me is that consumers enjoy the convenience and flexibility offered by the retail clinic, however, they are also seeking the comfort in knowing that their retail clinic is somehow connected to the traditional healthcare system. This is important for both retail clinics as well as hospitals to know," stated Thomas. What remains to be seen is what impact retail clinics will eventually have on the issue of over-crowded emergency rooms, a key challenge facing many healthcare providers today. "We believe that one of the true barometers of retail clinics impact on the traditional healthcare system in this country will be a real reduction in non-emergency ER visits that can be attributed to the existence of retail clinics in the area," said Thomas.
MSI's comprehensive research findings suggest that a consumer-driven transformation of healthcare is underway and that retail-based clinics are here to stay.
This study is MSI's first wave of retail clinic research. Upcoming monographs will focus specifically on additional retail clinic stakeholders, such as; physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, hospitals and medical group practices.
