Walgreen currently operates more retail clinics nationwide than any other pharmacy chain, hospital system or retailer, according to a report released this week by the research and consulting firm Merchant Medicine, the Chicago Tribune reports. Walgreen as of Monday had 293 retail clinics, compared with 172 clinics in the middle of June, according to the report. Nationwide, the number of retail clinics increased from 1,104 on Nov. 1 to 1,135 as of Monday, the report found. A report released in June by Merchant Medicine found that the number of retail clinics decreased from 981 to 969 -- the first such decline identified by the company -- likely because of the economic downturn and concerns from private investment companies that operated the facilities.

"Despite the brief slide last June, the number of retail clinics is back in growth mode," the latest report found. Merchant Medicine CEO Tom Charland attributed the increase in the number of retail clinics in the past month to Walgreen.

Officials for Walgreen, which expects to operate 400 retail clinics nationwide as of Aug. 31, 2009, said that the facilities will help address issues related to an expected shortage of primary care physicians. Michael Polzin, a spokesperson for Walgreen, said, "Demand for primary care health services has outstripped supply, and the problem is going to get worse as fewer medical school students choose primary care" (Japsen, Chicago Tribune, 12/4).

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