More parents are taking their children to walk-in retail medical clinics. For one reason the clinics are more plentiful - over 300 now with an additional 2,000 by the end of 2008. You can find them in Walgreens Drug Stores, and at some WalMart and Target stores. Parents who use them say it's more convenient than going to a doctor's office for minor stuff like routine tests and innoculations. Indeed, over 70 percent of parents wfo used the retain walk-in clincs said they wiould return. Health insurance generally covers the cost of these visits.

This trend is up for retail clinic care for children according to the National Poll on Children's Health conducted by the University of Michigan.

The walk-in clinics are typically staffed by nurse practitioners and physicians assistants, something that worrier Primary Care Doctors and Pediatritions. Most of the kids (89%) using retail walk-ins have an established physician. This does present a challenge to coordination of care. Until we have electronic medical records through our medical system, parents will have to be responsible for beiong the communication link between their child's primary physicians and the retail clinic.