Table 3.

Comparisons Between Type of Retail Clinic Visit and Continuity of Care for Medicare Beneficiaries in 2015

Type of retail clinic visit in 2015*Proportion of Patients Who Saw PCP (%)P-ValueContinuity of Care IndexP-Value
Chronic condition/preventive care72.5.0120.68 ± 0.36.0002
Simple acute condition75.40.75 ± 0.34
Vaccination83.10.80 ± 0.31
  • * Single retail clinic visits for multiple complaints were assigned a single visit type designation, according to the highest ranking complaint, as designated by the following hierarchy (highest to lowest): chronic condition/preventive care, simple acute condition, and vaccination. Therefore, patients who received care for chronic conditions/preventive care may have also received care for simple acute conditions or for vaccination in one visit. However, patients who sought retail clinic care for vaccination received only vaccination at that visit, and no other type of care.

  • PCP, primary care physician.