The retail revolution in health care /

Fottler and Malvey (both, health services administration, Univ. of Central Florida) provide a descriptive introduction to retail clinics, frontline limited-service health care providers usually placed in a pharmacy or retail outlet (Wal-Mart, Target) and staffed by an RN or PA providing medical care on-site. The authors have gathered a large amount of anecdotal information, polling data, and strategic plans for what they term a "start-up" industry still in its formative stage. They estimate about 1,100 of these clinics are operating within the US, and that most are still below breakeven in terms of patients (which they estimate at about 12,000 visits per year). The writing is lively and timely, but the policy and business implications are not clear. The book is neither a how-to for providers nor research for social scientists but rather an extended descriptive business article (without statistics or financials), making it hard to discern a target audience. Although the title's claim of a "retail revolution" would seem to be a bit of stretch given the current health care environment, this book does provide a welcome introduction to a new business model for delivery of some types of primary care. Most appropriate for general readers and students of health administration and policy. Summing Up: Recommended. Public and undergraduate collections. T. E. Getzen iHEA and Temple University