Patients opt for walk-in clinics because of price, wait concerns

Retail and urgent care clinics are gaining steam as a way for people to see a doctor without the long waits or higher cost of getting care in traditional settings. In the meantime, Kaiser Health News reports on CEO bonus pay and how some CEOs are rewarded for increasing patient volume.

Los Angeles Times: Walk-In Clinics Gaining Popularity
Nontraditional health care sites such as urgent care centers and retail clinics are gaining popularity with consumers looking to avoid the long waits and high prices of the doctor's office or emergency department. These sites, however, are not meant to replace a relationship with a primary care physician, and they're never a substitute for appropriate use of hospital emergency rooms (Zamosky, 6/14).

Kaiser Health News: Hospital CEO Bonuses Reward Volume And Growth
Like hospital leaders everywhere, the people running Valley Medical Center in Renton, Wash., talk frequently about the need to control soaring medical costs. … But even as Valley officials talk about change, they're paying hospital CEO Richard Roodman tens of thousands of dollars in bonuses for driving the kind of profits and expansion many say are no longer affordable for patients, employers and taxpayers (Hancock, 6/16). Related story components include a chart tracking CEO compensation, a sidebar detailing what sometimes determines a CEO's compensation, a look at some CEOs who shun bonus pay and an FAQ about the story. You can also watch the video.