Pharmacy clinics are a fast growing phenomenon; their numbers have increased from around 250 in 2006 to 800 in 2009, with projected growth into the thousands within the next few years. But there's concern not only about the level of care provided, but whether the giant growth leaps can be sustained.
What’s the Difference Between Urgent Care Centers and Pharmacy Clinics?
Although on the surface, walk-in pharmacy clinics and urgent care centers look similar, they are quite different in a number of ways. Urgent care centers have longer hours; many are open 24 hours a day, while most pharmacy centers close before 10 pm. Urgent care centers can also handle more emergent situations. Some urgent care clinics suture cuts, apply casts, and perform testing beyond what the average pharmacy clinic can handle.
One the most important differences between the two is that many urgent care centers are staffed by at least one physician, while pharmacy clinics are staffed by nurse practitioners and/or physician assistants. This can make a difference in treatment; while nurse practitioner staffed clinics can write prescriptions, give injections, and do routine physicals, some care may be out of their scope of practice.
