CVS

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — It was a rainy Thursday morning in Woonsocket, R.I., but that didn’t dissuade CVS Caremark stockholders from flocking to the company’s sprawling headquarters to attend its annual meeting of stockholders — an event that proved to be one filled with optimism as president and CEO Larry Merlo provided key highlights of 2011 and discussed how the company is reinventing pharmacy and capitalizing on its “integration sweet spots.”

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — MinuteClinic announced on Thursday the debut of two walk-in medical clinics inside CVS/pharmacy stores located in San Antonio.

The retail clinic operator, which opened its doors in the Lone Star state in 2006, now operates 45 clinics inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in Austin, Dallas/Fort Worth and San Antonio markets. In addition to the two clinics, a third is slated to open later this year.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark announced on Tuesday the release of its 2011 corporate social responsibility report.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — More retail websites this year achieved a "threshold for excellence" on customer experience analytics firm ForeSee's annual Top 100 E-Retail Satisfaction Index.

ForeSee reported that 36-out-of-100 online retailers achieved a satisfaction score of 80 or higher, compared with 28-out-of-100 websites that received the distinction last year. Although Amazon.com topped the list with a 2012 satisfaction score of 89 — up three points from 2011 — many other retailers, particularly retail pharmacies and grocery retailers, earned a high score:

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Two speakers at the American Telemedicine Association’s annual meeting last week had positive words for the convenient care industry and essentially told attendees what Drug Store News has been saying for some time: Retail clinics are poised for significant growth.

(THE NEWS: Retail clinics positioned for dramatic growth. For the full story, click here.)

DUBLIN, Ohio — The recent loss of business from a key specialty pharmacy customer and the continued deluge of generic introductions will represent significant challenges for Cardinal Health in fiscal year 2013 as it approaches the year-end of its fiscal 2012, company executives told analysts during a conference call Thursday morning.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark announced on Wednesday that it is supporting Million Hearts during National High Blood Pressure Education Month in May through a number of patient-focused initiatives.

Launched by the Department of Health and Human Services and led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Million Hearts is a national initiative to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the United States over the next five years.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark president and CEO Larry Merlo told analysts Wednesday morning that he was “very pleased” with the company's first quarter, as results across both the retail and pharmacy benefit management segments came in at the high end of expectations, and its integrated assets continue to demonstrate success and improve patient lives.