Market Strategies, Inc. (MSI) announced key findings from its 2007 MSI Retail Clinics Revolution study of 600 retail clinic users and 900 potential users. As the presence of retail clinics continues to grow exponentially (WSJ, 7/26/06) MSI's comprehensive, in-depth study of users and potential users has become critical. Among many of the myth-shattering findings uncovered by this largest ever study of its kind, MSI found that 12% of retail clinic patients with a primary care physician agree with the statement "retail clinics have mostly or completely replaced my primary care physician for the type of treatments offered at retail clinics."
"Actually," noted John E. Thomas, MSI Vice President and head of its Healthcare Delivery Systems Division, "we were surprised that the number was this high. However, we believe that this finding signals a strong and real shift in consumer sentiment about the patient-physician relationship." Thomas added, "Consumers are telling us in no uncertain terms that convenience is so critical to them that they will forego traditional primary care providers in exchange for access to the kind of quick and convenient basic care services offered by retail clinics."
Additionally, the MSI study reveals that consumers who have used retail clinics are open to treatment for a wider range of "non-cold" type medical treatments, such as; migraines, high cholesterol and hypertension. Furthermore, 30% of all consumers believe that retail clinics should compete with primary care physicians by offering a broader variety of more complex care and diagnostic services.
"Although the current business model of most retail clinics is to stay focused on common ailments that can be easily treated by a nurse practitioner or physician's assistant, consumers are telling us that they would accept and most likely utilize store-based clinics for a wider variety of medical treatments than what is currently available," stated Thomas. "This finding clearly has significant implications for not only the retail clinic operators and their host facilities, but also for physicians, medical groups, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies. All signs still point toward continued growth of this new consumer-driven healthcare offering," 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 more specifically on additional retail clinic stakeholders, such as; physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, hospitals and medical group practices.
