Mini-clinics at local retail stores

When you make a quick stop at your local pharmacy it's usually to pick up a prescription, but now there's a new reason to hit your local drug store. They're called mini-clinics and they just might change the way we take care of our health. Beth D'Arcy, mother of four: "For me it’s been a lifesaver with four children it seems we pass illnesses back and forth so it’s really been a help to just run in and get a quick throat swab, get their lungs listened to, that kind of thing." It's hassle free health care. Convenient, quick and affordable. Ann Ponhert, nurse practitioner: "It’s about half the cost of a regular doctor visit and about one-sixth the cost of an emergency room. You're seen by a family nurse practitioner, or physician assistant. We are able to write prescriptions. We do a full exam for the condition you are to be seen for." Mini-clinics don’t handle chronic illnesses, but are great for things like strep throat, sinus infections, or a bad cold. Angela Gent, patient, mini-clinic: "I'm waiting for my prescription now and then I’m going to head home and lie in bed and recover." The clinics are usually open seven days a week, with extended hours, no appointment needed. Barbara Basler, AARP Bulletin: "It really seems, as far as we know, to be a positive development in a health care system that’s often really unyielding and too expensive, and too hard to access." Mini-clinics accept insurance co-pays, Medicare and Mdicaid. They'll send a report to your primary care doctor and if you don't have one, they can recommend one in your neighborhood.