"Strep throat - checkout aisle 3!"

"Doc-in-a-Box" clinics in drug stores provide care for minor ailments on par with, or better than, other medical facilities at significantly lower costs, according to a study released on Monday.

The study, published in the September edition of the Annals of Internal Medicine, surveyed data on 2,100 patients treated for middle ear infections, sore throats and urinary tract infections at retail clinics.

The quality of care offered at the in-store clinics was in line with doctors' offices and urgent care centers and slightly better than at emergency departments, Dr. Ateev Mehrotra of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and the Rand research institute and colleagues found.

More