Commonly asked questions & answers about being uninsured.(ASK THE EXPERT)

Q: I don't have health insurance. Can local "minute clinics" provide my health care needs?

A: Ideally, you should have a primary care provider who gets know you and who can provide the kind of comprehensive preventive, acute and chronic care everyone needs and deserves. Having said that, there are some advantages to these clinics, which are typically found in retail outlets and drugstores and are usually staffed by nurse practitioners. Estimates are that there are about 1,100 such clinics in at least 30 states. (28)

The clinics do provide access, often after hours and on weekends. Certainly, they are less expensive than receiving that care in the emergency room.

They also appear to have been developed with quality in mind, providing treatment in accordance with evidence-based guidelines, offering electronic health records and collecting data electronically for analysis.

However, they function best for relatively minor health issues, such as sore throats, ear infections and flu shots. If you have a chronic disease such as diabetes or asthma, I strongly recommend you find a primary care provider who can oversee your care in a comprehensive manner for the long term. Your clinic may even be able to refer you to a local primary care provider, so next time you go, ask.

--Pamela Peeke, MD, MPH

Pew Foundation Scholar in Nutrition and Metabolism