MinuteClinic, Barnabas Health in New Jersey ink clinical collaboration
WOONSOCKET, R.I. and WEST ORANGE, N.J. — CVS Caremark’s MinuteClinic and Barnabas Health in New Jersey have signed a clinical collaboration to enhance access to healthcare services in Monmouth and Ocean counties.
Under the agreement, Barnabas Health physicians will serve as medical directors for three MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinics inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in Jackson, Manalapan and Marlboro, N.J. In addition, MinuteClinic and Barnabas Health will collaborate on patient education and disease management initiatives and will inform patients of the services each provide.
Barnabas Health will accept patients who need a level of care that is not provided among MinuteClinic services. Signage at MinuteClinic locations will inform patients that each site has an affiliation with Barnabas Health.
The Barnabas Health system in Monmouth and Ocean Counties includes: The Children's Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center and Monmouth Medical Center in Long Branch; Community Medical Center, the Pediatric Subspecialty Center, and Barnabas Health Behavioral Health Center, all in Tom's River; Kimball Medical Center in Lakewood; and a network of more than 4,600 physicians and 18,200 employees in New Jersey.
"MinuteClinic joins Barnabas Health in its commitment to provide the highest quality medical care to the people of Central New Jersey with a focus on reducing costs and increasing accessibility to health care services," stated Andrew Sussman, president of MinuteClinic and SVP/associate chief medical officer of CVS Caremark. "As we have experienced elsewhere in New Jersey and in other communities in the U.S., strategic clinical affiliations between MinuteClinic and major health systems such as Barnabas Health enhance our ability to offer medical services to patients in convenient retail locations near where they live and work."
"Our new clinical collaboration with MinuteClinic is an exciting initiative that advances our mission to heal while focusing on innovative prevention and wellness programs," stated Barry Ostrowsky, president and CEO of Barnabas Health. "Barnabas Health facilities are among our communities' strongest resources. MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinics provide accessible, high quality centers for promoting the health of our neighbors. Together, our partnership in Monmouth and Ocean Counties will enrich the health care that is offered to all."
MinuteClinic and Barnabas Health will begin to work toward fully integrating electronic medical record systems to streamline communication around all aspects of each individual's care. With patient permission, MinuteClinic will electronically share medical histories and visit summaries with other Barnabas Health locations in Monmouth and Ocean Counties. In the meantime, MinuteClinic will continue its standard practice of sending patient visit summaries to primary care providers via fax or mail, typically within 24 hours, with patient consent.
Find us on Facebook for more insight, analysis and the latest in drug store news.