Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 2, 2026
06:28
E-Patient Counseling Trial (E-PACO): Computer Based Education versus Nurse Counseling for Patients to Prepare for Colonoscopy
Published on: August 1, 2019
Do retail clinics increase early return visits for pediatric patients?
James E Rohrer1, Kathleen M Yapuncich, Steven C Adamson
1Department of Family Medicine, Mayo Clinic-Rochester, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. rohrer.james@mayo.edu
Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine : JABFM
|September 6, 2008
Summary
Retail clinics are a safe option for pediatric care, as they do not increase the risk of early return visits for patients. This study found no significant difference in return visit rates between retail and traditional clinics.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Healthcare Delivery
- Primary Care Access
- Health Services Research
Background:
- Retail clinics offer convenient access to care, but their impact on pediatric patient follow-up is not well understood.
- Assessing the risk of early return visits is crucial for evaluating the quality and efficiency of care delivery models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the association between pediatric patient visits to retail clinics and the likelihood of requiring early return visits.
- To compare the risk of early return visits for pediatric patients utilizing retail clinics versus traditional family medicine clinics.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of electronic medical records for 400 pediatric patients (200 retail clinic, 200 family medicine clinic) in Minnesota.
- Dependent variables included office visits within 2 weeks for any reason and for the same reason.
- Multiple logistic regression adjusted for age, acuity, and prior visit history to control for case-mix differences.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant differences in the risk of early return visits were observed between pediatric patients seen at retail clinics and those seen at family medicine clinics.
- These findings remained consistent after adjusting for key patient characteristics such as age, clinical acuity, and recent healthcare utilization.
Conclusions:
- Visits to retail clinics by pediatric patients are not associated with an increased risk of early return visits.
- Retail clinics appear to be a viable option for acute pediatric care without compromising follow-up care needs.
Related Concept Videos
01:26Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion
In pediatric medicine, understanding the renal function and drug elimination nuances is crucial for administering safe and effective treatments. Newborns, in particular, display markedly slower renal functions than adults, profoundly affecting how drugs are cleared from their bodies. This slower drug clearance requires clinicians to extend the dosing intervals for many medications to prevent drug accumulation and toxicity while ensuring therapeutic efficacy.One key area where these adjustments...
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural Health Centers
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
01:30Preventive Healthcare Services
Preventive healthcare services keep people healthy via frequent check-ups, screening, and counseling. They primarily aid in disease prevention rather than treating an acute or chronic illness. Preventive treatment also keeps individuals productive and energetic, allowing them to work well into their retirement years. Examples of preventive care services include:
01:17Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution
Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight, compared...
01:13Patient-centered Care
Patient-centered care involves delivering care beyond inpatient hospitalization. Reflective practice can enhance a patient-centered approach. Reflective practice is a process of reasoning that considers all aspects of the present situation, including practicalities, learning from personal practice, and consideration of patient needs. Patients appreciate care decisions made while considering their input. Involving the patient in their care provides the patient with a sense of contribution rather...
01:23Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Overview and Drug Absorption
Understanding the physiological differences in the pediatric population is crucial for effective pharmacotherapy. Neonates, infants, and children exhibit significant variations in gastric pH, gastric emptying time, intestinal transit time, and biliary function. These variations profoundly affect oral drug absorption, necessitating a nuanced approach to pediatric dosing.Neonates present with a unique physiological profile, having a gastric pH greater than 4 and faster and more irregular gastric...