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In 2015, Merchant Medicine (Shoreview, Minnesota) released data from a detailed national study conducted in 2014 of U.S. patients’ preferences regarding retail clinics versus urgent care clinics versus primary-care physicians’ offices. The survey involved more than 2,000 adults between the ages of 18 and 54 years and was conducted by Sparks Research and Merchant Medicine on behalf of DXM Marketing Group.

Urgent care is still sometimes viewed as being only for nights and weekends, but the survey data show a different usage pattern. Survey participants were asked, “If you have a choice, what day and time do you prefer to visit a retail or urgent care clinic?”

  • Weekdays were preferred over weekends by 74%.
  • The period between 8:00 and 11:29 m. was most often preferred (38%) on weekdays.
  • The period between 8:00 and 11:29 a.m. was also most often preferred (47%) on weekends.

Time Preference