The Convenient Care Association is the national trade association of companies and healthcare systems that provide consumers with accessible, affordable, quality healthcare in retail-based locations. CCA works primarily to enhance and sustain the growth of the Convenient Care industry through sharing of best practices and common standards of operation. The CCA was founded in October 2006. Since the first Convenient Care clinics (CCCs) opened in 2000, the Convenient Care industry has grown quickly. Today there are over 2,000 such clinics in operation in 41 states and Washington, D.C., and CCA member clinics represent approximately 97% of the industry. To date, CCCs have served more than 20 million patients. With this rapid expansion, and projected continued growth, it quickly became clear that the shared concerns and needs of both providers and patients could best be served through an association that allowed for: • Sharing best practices, common standards of operation, experiences and ideas • Developing common standards of operation to ensure the highest quality of care throughout all CCCs • A united voice to advance the needs of CCCs and their customers • A unified effort to promote the concept of CCCs, and to respond to questions about this evolving industry • Reaching out to the existing medical community and creating new partnerships • Building synergies with traditional medical service providers