Like a tree falling in the forest, health care innovations don't make a sound — until they are successfully replicated in the world. Four big providers are experimenting with how this works.

New models of care delivery are evolving in response to economic pressures, physician shortages, access barriers, and patient preferences. Six innovations seek to extend primary care, everywhere.

This paper documents the decision-making process and implementation strategies of five community health centers that either opened a retail clinic to expand care delivery or seriously considered doing so.

This Health Affairs article by Weinick, Burns, and Mehrotra finds that up to 27% of hospital ED visits are not emergencies and could take place at less expensive urgent care centers and retail clinics.

This feasibility report, based on interviews with dentists, other experts, consumer surveys, and published reports, examines factors that would support or inhibit the emergence of retail dental clinics in California and elsewhere.

This issue brief explores how regulation and licensing in six states -- California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Texas -- promote, structure, or limit retail clinics.

This briefing discussed how six states — California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Texas — are using regulatory, licensing, and legal tools to promote, structure, or limit retail clinics.

This guide and toolkit were specifically designed for community health centers. Whether a CHC is interested in adapting retail strategies to improve its services or developing a new clinic entirely, these materials will help in exploring the benefits and decisive factors.

The September/October 2008 issue of Health Affairs explores innovations in health care delivery, including the efficacy of retail clinics and other alternative delivery models. Select articles are available at no cost through CHCF. A webcast of the briefing is also available.

In November 2007, CHCF partnered with the journal Health Affairs to sponsor a roundtable discussion regarding two related topics: the nature and future of retail clinics, and the future of primary care.

This report explores the industry's development and its integration with the health care system, as well as the challenges involved in establishing retail clinics in California.