Retail Clinics

CHICAGO — A movement toward a more team-based, coordinated approach to patient care has helped drive increased demand for advance practice clinicians, as well as an increase in salaries for this group, according to findings of a recently released survey.

NEW YORK — The use of retail-based health clinics and worksite facilities has increased in recent years, thanks in large part to a combination of quality, accessibility and affordability, according to a new Harris Interactive/HealthDay poll.

The online survey of more than 3,000 U.S. adults, which was conducted in early December, found that 27% of all adults surveyed said they have used either walk-in retail clinics (19%) or work-based clinics (11%) to obtain medical care in the past two years. That compares with 7% in 2008.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — A patient’s social support network has been associated with improved outcomes and healthier behaviors and now new research sponsored by CVS Caremark has found that practical social support is associated with improved medication adherence.

ATLANTA — The incidence of influenza continued on an upward trajectory heading into the Christmas holiday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday. Nationwide for the week ending Dec. 22, 4.2% of patient visits reported through the U.S. Outpatient Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network were due to influenza-like illness, above the national baseline of 2.2%. 

NEW YORK — What pharmacy lobbying groups and Drug Store News have been saying for a while has reached the mainstream.

The New York Times published an editorial over the weekend recommending that the country address its shortage of primary care doctors by relying more on other healthcare actors — such as pharmacists, nurse practitioners and patients themselves — as well as physician assistants and members of the community.

JERUSALEM — Xenon Pharmaceuticals is licensing an experimental pain drug to Teva Pharmaceutical Industries in a deal worth up to $376 million, not including royalties, the companies said.

WATERTOWN, Mass — AthenaHealth has announced that it is recruiting for a retail clinic/urgent care-specific director of client development.

The Enterprise division manages the largest and most dynamic clients at AthenaHealth. These clients often have multiple c-suites or senior management teams in geographically dispersed locations.  Enterprise clients are growing through acquisition and/or consolidation strategies and are usually leading change in the industry and are considered thought leaders.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS/pharmacy and MinuteClinic are reminding families during National Influenza Vaccination Week about the importance of receiving their flu vaccinations, and are partnering with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the NFL Retired Players Association to increase awareness about the benefits of annual flu vaccination.