• ACO (Accountable Care Organization): A network of providers who come together to provide coordinated, high-quality care to patients. • Convenience Care (or Retail Clinic): Typically found in shopping malls, pharmacies and other retail stores, and are staffed by a nurse practitioner or other licensed professional. They don’t typically have a medical doctor on site. Target Clinic® and Minute Clinic® are examples of convenience care clinics. • Emergency Care: Emergency rooms are designed and staffed to treat people with severe and immediate medical needs. Patients with true emergencies will be seen first, so if you go to an ER with a non-emergency need, you may have a long wait. Plus, care at an ER will cost you a lot more than at a clinic or other care option. • Network: A group of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers contracted to provide services to health plan members for less than their usual fees. Members typically pay less for using an in-network provider. • Primary Care (PCP): A physician or other medical professional who serves as a member’s first contact with a plan’s health care system. Also known as a primary care physician, personal care physician or personal care provider. • Provider: A physician, clinic, hospital, pharmacy or other health care professional or facility that is licensed, certified or otherwise qualified under state law to provide health care services. • Specialty Care: A provider whose medical specialty is not in the field of primary care. Examples include cardiology, gastroenterology, neurology, oncology, orthopedics, rehabilitation and much more. • Urgent Care: A clinic that treats sprains, minor broken bones, mild asthma attacks, minor infections and rashes, small cuts, flu-like symptoms, sore throats and other minor illnesses or injuries that need attention right away. Urgent care clinics are staffed by physicians. In most cases, these locations treat patients on a first-come, first-served basis. Other questions? Contact Us
