MinuteClinic, Virtua partner on services in southern New Jersey

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Physicians from a New Jersey-based healthcare provider will work at five MinuteClinic locations inside CVS/pharmacy stores in the state, under a new partnership.

MinuteClinic and Virtua on Tuesday announced the partnership, whereby the physicians will serve as medical directors at clinics in Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties, while the two companies collaborate on patient education and disease management initiatives and inform patients of the services they offer, and Virtua will accept patients who need types of care that MinuteClinic doesn't provide.

"Virtua's reputation for clinical excellence and its proven track record for patient satisfaction were important factors in our decision to affiliate," MinuteClinic president and CVS Caremark SVP and associate chief medical officer Andrew Sussman said. "We look forward to having Virtua physicians collaborate with MinuteClinic practitioners to provide quality oversight, teaching and back-up so MinuteClinic can provide the best care at the lowest overall cost."

The two also plan to work to fully integrate electronic medical record systems to streamline communication, whereby patients can give permission for MinuteClinic to share medical histories and visit summaries with other Virtua locations.

"Virtua is committed to health and wellness and to providing easy access to quality health care," Virtua chief medical officer and EVP Jim Dwyer said. "This partnership enables us to achieve our mission of helping people be well, get well and stay well. Partnering with a quality organization like MinuteClinic makes it easier for people to fulfill their healthcare needs."

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