MinuteClinic: A force to be reckoned with

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — The fact that CVS Caremark's MinuteClinic was highlighted as an innovator of healthcare delivery by the World Economic Forum's Innovation Health Care Delivery Project is important on several fronts. Not only does the recognition further illustrate the important role that convenient care clinics are playing in U.S. health care, but perhaps even more importantly, this forum also was a global stage for the clinic operator.

(THE NEWS: MinuteClinic recognized as innovator of healthcare delivery. For the full story, click here)

When you think about it in those terms, that means that even Europe, the land of universal health care, is taking note and is impressed by retail-based health clinics.

MinuteClinic's approach to making health care more accessible was identified as a model of innovation in a project conducted at the World Economic Forum, said Olivier Raynaud, Head of Global Health and Healthcare sector.

"This project reviewed more than 20 innovative healthcare delivery models from around the world to assess the success factors and potential to be transferred, replicated and scaled up," Raynaud said. "A selection of these models, which are improving access to quality affordable care, were showcased at Montreux."

Being afforded a global stage where MinuteClinic not only could share its experience but also learn from other healthcare innovators no doubt is a tremendous opportunity. In addition to working to expand its scope of practice to include a variety of chronic condition monitoring services, MinuteClinic also is looking to add 100 new clinic locations each year for the next five years.

MinuteClinic launched the first retail clinic in the United States in 2000, and currently operates approximately 500 locations in 26 states and the District of Columbia.