Retail Clinics

SALT LAKE CITY Alliance Health Networks has moved Diabetic Connect onto its new advanced social networking platform where Alliance Health’s newer properties, including Sleep Connect, Health Exchange, Arthritis Connect and several other health-focused social networking sites, now operate.

PITTSBURGH Patients diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes in Pittsburgh were more likely than similar patients nationwide to receive A1c, blood glucose, serum cholesterol, ophthalmologic or urine glucose tests than those in other areas, but best-performing regions use the same management services at a higher rate, according to a report released Wednesday by the Pittsburgh Business Group on Health.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. Research from CVS Caremark demonstrated the positive impact of various tools available to pharmacy benefit management companies, including automated telephonic messaging, fax alerts to physicians about gaps in care and strategic co-pay waivers for generic medications.

The data, which came from three different studies, was presented at the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy.

BRENTWOOD, Tenn. Retail-based clinic operator The Little Clinic has stated for the first time that it is a wholly owned subsidiary of grocery chain Kroger.

A Kroger spokesperson was not immediately available to provide additional details.

In 2008, it was announced that Kroger had made an investment of an undisclosed amount into The Little Clinic. The investment, at that time, was described as "significant." Private equity firm Solera Capital had acquired The Little Clinic's predecessor in 2005.

ATLANTA The rate of reported tuberculosis cases in the United States has decreased more than 11% since 2008, making it the greatest single-year decrease since the disease surveillance commenced in 1953, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

DEERFIELD, Ill. An increased awareness and concern around the flu caused a spike in the use of retail pharmacies as vaccination resources, according to data unveiled by Walgreens on Thursday.

As the retail pharmacy continues to play an increasingly important role in trying to drive higher rates for flu immunizations in all 50 states, seasonal flu shots administered by pharmacists grew 36% this flu season, capturing about 10% of the total administered nationwide, according to researched conducted by Wolters Kluwer.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. MinuteClinic officially announced the introduction of new health-condition monitoring services for patients with diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and asthma.

ATLANTA The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention still is recommending people who have not yet gotten their H1N1 flu shots that they do so. H1N1 vaccine is widely available, CDC officials noted.

In a conference call with reporters on Monday, the CDC that H1N1 has “not gone away,” with regional activity still being reported throughout the southeast, most notably in Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. Hospitalizations attributed to H1N1 have been on the rise for three consecutive weeks.