Retail Clinics

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Forging ahead on its longer-term goal of creating a national platform to support primary care, CVS Caremark plans to open up at least 150 new MinuteClinic locations this year and is now testing telehealth at more than two-dozen sites.

With a primary care physician shortage that is expected to reach 45,000 in 2020 and nearly half of patients indicating that they do not have a primary care physician, the role of MinuteClinic is no doubt becoming increasingly vital.

NEW YORK and HOUSTON — Wellness Layers, a provider of health-and-wellness engagement portals, and RediClinic, an operator of retail-based convenient care clinics, has announced the launch of RediClinic’s redesigned Weigh Forward portal.

GOUVERNEUR, N.Y. and SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Regional player Kinney Drugs has teamed up with Pulmonary Health Physicians, PC and Franciscan Companies (an affiliate of St. Joseph’s Hospital) to open the Healthy You Wellness Center at a Kinney Drugs location in Syracuse. 
 

LATHAM, N.Y. —- Price Chopper, QuickCare and Ellis Medicine have teamed up to open QuickCare walk-in clinics in Price Chopper stores in Latham, N.Y. and Malta, N.Y.

The three organizations created the Capital Region partnership to offer residents access to more convenient and efficient healthcare. QuickCare, staffed by an Ellis Medicine nurse practitioner, physician or physician assistant, are walk-in health centers that offer patients immediate help for common ailments and provide some well-care and screening services.

WASHINGTON — As the interest in telemedicine programs continues to grow, a recent Rand study found that people who are younger, more affluent and do not have established healthcare relationships are more likely to use a telemedicine program that allows patients to get medical help for acute ailments — including prescriptions — by talking to a doctor over the telephone.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — In support of the health and well-being of its patients and customers, CVS Caremark announced on Wednesday that it will stop selling cigarettes and other tobacco products at its more than 7,600 CVS/pharmacy stores across the United States by Oct. 1, making CVS/pharmacy the first national pharmacy chain to take this step. It also will undertake a robust national smoking-cessation program that will launch in the spring.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A proposed state health department regulation that would require children up to ages 5 years and older to get an annual flu immunization and would keep those with medical exemptions out of school or day care during flu outbreaks has received opposition from the Rhode Island chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, according to the Associated Press.

NEW YORK — Recognizing the vital role that retail-based health clinics play in today’s healthcare system, the Scattergood Foundation is exploring the most effective way to integrate mental health care into retail clinics through its 2014 Design Challenge.