CVS Caremark commits $15M to preventive health screenings in multicultural communities

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS/pharmacy will sponsor more than 750 Project Health events in more than 10 cities, offering free health screenings to multicultural communities, the retail pharmacy chain said Monday.

Project Health, or Proyecto Salud in Spanish, will deliver more than $15 million worth of free health screenings in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phiadelphia and Washington, as well as select CVS/pharmacy stores in Puerto Rico.

The tests include body-mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose and smoking-cessation counseling, as well as dental care screenings in October and bone density screenings in May and November. The company also will offer information and education about issues such as nutrition, stress, breast cancer and others.

"Far too many of the multicultural populations we serve have difficulty accessing preventive care," CVS Caremark chief medical officer and EVP Troyen Brennan said. "Project Health makes it easier for our customers to make their health a priority, offering them health risk assessments free of charge right in their neighborhoods. This program allows us to better reach customers who come from a wide array of ethnic and cultural backgrounds, ensuring that we are able to help all people on their path to better health."

After screenings are complete, staff will help patients through on-site consultations with bilingual nurse practitioners and physician assistants who will analyze results and refer patients who require additional medical attention to no-cost or low-cost medical facilities nearby or to primary care physicians.

Events in 2012, which screened nearly 160,000 people, turned up at least one abnormal screening result in 53% of patients; risk factors for osteoporosis in 51%, overweight and obesity in 51%; at least one abnormal risk factor for heart disease in 47%; and abnormal glucose readings in 32%.