Affiliations, partnerships driving patient health

As it continues to evolve, CVS Health’s MinuteClinic is taking the concept of walk-in health care to a new level.

(To view the full Category Review, click here.)



With more than 1,100 clinics — including 79 in Target stores — MinuteClinic offers the country’s largest network of no-appointment-needed retail health services. The company estimates that since becoming part of CVS a decade ago, it has treated nearly 30 million patients.



Recognizing that the ongoing evolution of the U.S. healthcare system will lead to convenient care clinics playing a more significant role in patient care, MinuteClinic has continually expanded its reach, added new services and enhanced its offering through partnerships with other healthcare providers.



In April, for instance, the company teamed up with the Cleveland Clinic to provide patients at Ohio MinuteClinics with access to its experts for both online and mobile doctor visits. Under the program, patients deemed to need more extensive care than the walk-in clinic staff can provide can get a video follow-up consultation with a primary care practitioner from the Cleveland Clinic.



Anderew Sussmanm, president of Minute-Clinic and SVP and associate chief medical officer of CVS Caremark, has said CVS sees such telehealth services as this as playing an increasingly central role in patient care going forward. To that end, the company has been working with three established remote visits companies — American Well, Doctor On Demand and Teladoc — to expand its telehealth capabilities and services.



Meanwhile, MinuteClinic continues to add clinical affiliations. In recent months, the company has joined forces with John Muir Health in California; University of Chicago Medical Center in Illinois; Novant Health, serving the Winston-Salem area, in North Carolina; and University of Michigan Health System in Michigan.



Executives said the affiliations and the more than 60 other partnerships MinuteClinic and CVS Health have developed over the years help drive patient health.



“By allowing our electronic health records and information systems to communicate and share important information about the patients we collectively serve, we will have a more comprehensive view of our patients, which can aid in healthcare decision-making and help ensure patients adhere to important medications for chronic diseases, and collaborative programs that enhance access to patient care, improve health outcomes and lower healthcare costs in the communities they serve,” CVS Health chief medical officer Troyen Brennan said when the deals were announced.