Consumer-Driven Health Care: Nurse Practitioners Making History

Consumer-driven health care has spawned an industry of convenient care clinics that offer accessible, quality care at a reasonable price. The primary health care providers at these clinics are family nurse practitioners. Since their debut, these clinics have provided a niche for people who do not want to spend hours in emergency departments for minor illnesses and uninsured people who cannot afford the high costs of health care. This article reviews the history behind convenient care clinics and offers some prognostication for the future.