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WOONSOCKET, R.I. and NASHVILLE, Tenn. — MinuteClinic has entered a clinical affiliation with HCA's TriStar Health, the largest health system in middle Tennessee, to enhance access to high-quality, affordable healthcare services in the Nashville metro area.

MinuteClinic has 14 walk-in medical clinics inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in Middle Tennessee. The agreement includes any current or future locations in Nashville and 10 surrounding counties.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — One year after launching a national awareness campaign focused on the benefits of 90-day prescription refills at retail pharmacies, Walgreens on Friday released new data supporting the success of the 90-day refill program and its overarching benefits to patients and payers. Walgreens also released a white paper outlining in greater detail the ways in which 90-day retail refills can help improve adherence and reduce costs.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — "I appreciate the fact that [Walgreens is] trying to do some very good things with respect to clinical offerings and other avenues to try to impact the overall healthcare spectrum. But quite frankly, that hasn't been proven to reduce cost." That was what George Paz, Express Scripts chairman, president and CEO, said Thursday morning about the go-to-market strategy currently being employed by Walgreens. Later that day, Walgreens released these data — contrary to Paz's take on the value of Walgreens.

MINNEAPOLIS — Target overcame modest fourth-quarter sales growth to report profits that exceeded its earnings guidance and also provided a better-than-expected outlook for 2012.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Physicians in 35% of cases involving more than 250,000 newly diagnosed diabetes patients did not follow the American Diabetes Association/European Association for the Study of Diabetes consensus guidelines for recommended treatment, according to a new CVS Caremark study.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Coupons.com on Thursday announced the appointment of Dawn Lepore, former chairman and CEO of Drugstore.com, to its board of directors.

“Dawn is a widely admired business leader and e-commerce trail blazer,” Coupons.com founder and CEO Steven Boal said. “Her leadership, expertise in building successful online businesses and experience as a board member of such companies as eBay, Walmart and The New York Times Co. will be a great asset to us as we continue to rapidly grow our business.”

PLEASANTON, Calif. — Pharmacy and identical-store sales were identified as positives for Safeway, which discussed its fourth-quarter results with analysts on Thursday.

ST. LOUIS — Express Scripts chairman and CEO George Paz on Thursday played down the impact of Walgreens' exit from its pharmacy network.