Retail Clinics

NEW YORK — An Albertsons store in Billings, Mont., is home to a retail clinic staffed by physician assistants and nurse practitioners who will treat patients for allergies, infections, bug bites, pain and other minor health problems, according to published reports.

The Billings Gazette reported that Billings Clinic opened at Albertsons its first retail clinic, called ExpressCare. Additional clinics are planned for spring and summer next year. The clinic is staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — In recognition of this year's National Influenza Vaccination Week, which runs Dec. 8 to 14, CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic are reminding families that it is not too late to get a flu shot, and are offering a 20% off CVS/pharmacy Shopping Pass to those who get their flu shot at either CVS/pharmacy or MinuteClinic this holiday season.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark’s MinuteClinic has expanded to its 28th state with the opening of clinic locations inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in New Hampshire, and the clinic operator also has formed a new clinical collaboration with Dartmouth-Hitchcock, the largest healthcare system in New Hampshire.

Clinics are now open in Concord and West Lebanon. A Salem clinic will open Dec. 11, and locations in Hampton, Manchester and Nashua will open in early January, the company stated.

SEATTLE — Bartell Drugs will open retail clinics at three of its stores under a partnership with a local health organization, the Seattle-based regional drug store chain said Monday.

Bartell said it would partner with Group Health Cooperative to open clinics at two stores in Seattle and one in the neighboring city of Bellevue, Wash., staffed by nurse practitioners from Group Health. The program is called CareClinic: Group Health at Bartell Drugs, or CareClinic for short, and the initial three clinics will open between January and March 2014.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. — The Foundation for Health Smart Consumers and the Convenient Care Association presented the "Inspire" program at the recent Beyond the 5 A’s: Improving Cessation Intervention through Strengthened Training conference held in Scottsdale, Ariz.

NEW YORK — Shedding more light on the important role that retail-based health clinics — and the nurse practitioners who work in them — play in the U.S. healthcare system, a new study suggests that eliminating restrictions on nurse practitioners' scope of practice could have a “large impact” on the cost-savings.

HOUSTON — Retail-based clinic operator RediClinic, which operates about 30 clinics inside select HEB stores in Houston, Austin and San Antonio, has revamped its web site with new features and functionality.

CINCINNATI — UC Health, the affiliated health system of the University of Cincinnati, and The Little Clinic have announced a clinical collaboration to provide consumers with improved access to healthcare services with UC Health supporting The Little Clinic locations inside 18 Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, area Kroger stores.