What are the differences between physician offices and retail clinics?

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Many mergers and acquisitions happened in 2017. CVS finalized plans to acquire Aetna, Amazon proposed buying into the pharmacy sector, and UnitedHealth’s Optum acquired Advisory Board.

All of these changes sparked a variety of talks and questions from both companies and consumers.

One of these questions, specific to Aetna and CVS merging, is what are retail clinics and how do they differ from primary care practices?

What is a retail health clinic?

A retail health clinic is generally defined as a walk-in clinic housed inside a supermarket, pharmacy, and/or retail outlet.

Target, Walgreens, and CVS usually house these types of clinics. Nurse practitioners and/or physician assistants typically staff these facilities.

Each of these clinics offer different services or treatments for their patients.

Some retail health clinics administer vaccines and physicals, while others treat minor injuries and illnesses like strep throat.

Typically, a retail clinic uses the walk-in approach, but some allow appointment scheduling.

What is a primary care clinic?

A primary care clinic is staffed by physicians interested in getting to know you, managing your health, understanding your concerns, and preventing illness. A PC practice provides a variety of services.

This includes vaccinations, physicals, check-ups, screenings for illnesses, blood work, etc. If you require attention from a specialist, your PCP recommends a specialist for treatment.

Most primary care clinics see patients by appointment only, but some offer walk-in services to current patients.