rising costs |

June 10, 2016 By Jay Baldauf

The growing number of retail clinics is expected to transform primary healthcare and touch 30 million patients globally by 2022, according to a report by Frost & Sullivan. The global retail care market earned revenue of $1.35 billion in 2015 and is expected to reach $4 billion in 2022. Retail clinics are in pharmacies, grocery chains, supermarkets, and department stores, and address minor health issues. They have longer hours than do traditional clinics.

The retail clinic market is growing due to rising healthcare costs and a lack of access to primary care. In most developing countries, health insurance penetration is low and the out-of-pocket spending pinches patients. Rising premiums and higher deductibles are a concern for those with health insurance. A shortage of primary care physicians is resulting in longer wait times for doctor appointments, even in mature markets like the U.S.

Many patients see retail clinics as the second choice, and use then on weekends or after-hours, which limits patient volume. Opening retail clinics is financially impractical in some states due to regulations. The largest U.S. chain only has retail clinics in 33 states. Siddharth Shah of Frost & Sullivan said, “With increasing experience, retail players will expand their services…and experiment with…product-service bundling, telemedicine, and point-of-care technologies to enhance patient experience.”

Rising Costs Should Prompt LTC Conversations

April 19, 2014 By Jay Baldauf

The cost of long term care, which is is outpacing inflation, it creating significant financial planning challenges for the nearly 12 million Americans who need long-term care services. The cost of in-home care continues to rise, though at a more moderate rate of growth. This is good news for consumers as almost three quarters of people who need long term care prefer receiving it in their homes, according to the Genworth 2014 Cost of Care Survey. Nationally, the 2014 median hourly cost for the services of a homemaker is $19 and $19.75 for home health aide hired from a home care agency. Homemaker costs have risen 1.2% a year over the past five years. Home health aide services have risen 1.32% a year. The costs of assisted living facilities are rising much faster. The median annual cost for care in an assisted living facility is $42,000, which is an increase of 4.29% annually over the past five years. The comparable cost for a private nursing home room is $87,600, which has increased 4.19% annually over the past five years. For more information, visit www.genworth.com.

Retail Healthcare Gains Popularity

Rising Costs Should Prompt LTC Conversations