Purpose: To discuss the impact of retail health clinics, also known as convenient care clinics (CCC), on the changing landscape of health care in the United States.
Data sources: Selected articles from the scientific literature and data from the industry literature.
Conclusions: The concept of the CCC has been well-received by the public, and nurse practitioners (NPs) have been intimately involved in the development and expansion of these clinics. The professional association of CCCs has been instrumental in promoting operational standards for CCCs to insure a high quality of service. Some resistance to the concept from physicians remains but the convenience for consumers appears to drive the high levels of satisfaction reported.
Implications for practice: Collaboration among all healthcare providers is essential to expand access to care for everyone. NPs are crucial to the operation of CCCs and provide care that is well-received by consumers.