An Innovation in Health Care Opens at CVS/Pharmacy Stores in Chicagoland

CHICAGO, April 26 /PRNewswire/ — MinuteClinic, the pioneer and largest provider of retail-based health care in the United States, today opened five new health care centers at CVS/pharmacy stores throughout the Chicago area.

MinuteClinic health care centers are staffed by masters-prepared, board- certified nurse practitioners who specialize in family health care and are trained to diagnose, treat and write prescriptions for common family illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections. MinuteClinic also offers common vaccinations, such as influenza, tetanus, MMR, and Hepatitis A & B.

MinuteClinic health care centers are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the following locations:

   — Highland Park, 1539 Clavey Rd.   — Joliet, 3200 Caton Farm Rd.   — Lockport, 16760 W. Division St.   — Mokena, 11200 Lincoln Highway   — Schaumburg, 1801 W. Golf Rd.   

A sixth health care center will open in May at the CVS/pharmacy store in Rolling Meadows at 2045 Plum Grove Rd.

MinuteClinic has health care centers in 20 states. In addition to Chicago, health care centers are found in: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Charlotte, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Hartford, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville, New York City metropolitan area, Northern New Jersey, Orlando, Phoenix, Providence, Raleigh-Durham, Seattle, Southern Connecticut, South Florida, and the Maryland suburbs of the Nation’s Capital.

Because examinations typically take 10-15 minutes and no appointment is necessary, MinuteClinic is an ideal solution for professionals and working parents who cannot afford time away from the workplace.

“MinuteClinic health care centers are an answer to consumers’ overwhelming demand for more patient-centric health care,” said Michael Howe, chief executive officer for MinuteClinic. “As more patients look to take control of their health care options, we provide a fast, convenient and affordable service for common maladies that is available seven days a week.”

MinuteClinic is working closely with the larger insurance carriers in Illinois to be a participating provider in their networks. For patients who are a member of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois (PPO/POS and indemnity plans), CBSA, Coventry National Network/First Health Direct PPO, Great-West Healthcare, Humana and ppoNext, MinuteClinic will accept the required health plan co-pay indicated on their insurance card as payment.

Additional insurers, including Aetna, BeechStreet, CIGNA HealthCare, HFN, UHC and UniCare, will be added in the near future. Treatment prices are posted outside each health care center. Most treatments cost $59.

“MinuteClinic offers customers convenient, high quality health care services and is a natural extension of our mission to be the easiest pharmacy retailer for customers to use,” said Chris Bodine, executive vice president of CVS/Caremark Corporation and president of CVS/Caremark Health Services. “Along with its reputation for high quality health care, MinuteClinic has proven its ability to work collaboratively with physicians in the prompt diagnosis and treatment of patients.”

To ensure quality and personal attention for patients, MinuteClinic health care centers are staffed by board-certified practitioners with college degrees and graduate-level training in family health care. Nurse practitioners work in collaboration with physicians and may prescribe medication when it is part of the treatment plan. Brian Kraus, nurse practitioner and manager of operations, oversees MinuteClinic locations in Chicago.

MinuteClinic nurse practitioners use a software program that at the conclusion of each visit, generates educational material, an invoice and a prescription (when clinically appropriate) for the patient, as well as a diagnostic record that is automatically sent to the patient’s primary care provider’s office. A collaborating physician (medical director) is on call during all hours of operation.

“Every MinuteClinic patient assessment and treatment follows nationally established clinical practice guidelines from the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics that are embedded in our electronic medical records system,” said Dr. James Woodburn, M.D., chief medical officer for MinuteClinic.

Individuals with illnesses outside MinuteClinic’s scope of services or who exhibit signs of a chronic condition are referred to their physician or, if critical, the nearest urgent care or emergency room. Patients who can’t be treated are not charged for their visit. MinuteClinic only serves patients over the age of 18 months.

“Our services are a complement to primary care providers,” Woodburn explains, “and our nurse practitioners make it a point to stress the importance of a regular medical exam with every patient they see. If the individual doesn’t have a medical home, we provide a list of physicians in the area who are accepting new patients.”

In Will County, Illinois, MinuteClinic has developed a strategic alliance with Silver Cross Hospital, a health care network with an acute care hospital in Joliet and nine satellite facilities. A member of the Silver Cross staff will serve as MinuteClinic’s medical director in the county and will work cooperatively with MinuteClinic on patient and community health care education programs. Silver Cross has also agreed to accept referrals for MinuteClinic patients needing emergency room, urgent care and primary care assistance.

“Silver Cross’ alliance with Minute Clinic helps us achieve our mission of caring for the health care needs of our community residents and to educate people about living healthier,” said Ruth Colby, chief strategic officer of Silver Cross. “We are pleased that Minute Clinic has chosen to work with Silver Cross and our dedicated physicians because we have a shared commitment to quality and convenient service to families.”

   MinuteClinic Treatments: (most services cost $59 or an insurance co-pay)    Common Illnesses   – Allergies (ages 6+) $59   – Pink Eye & Styes $59   – Bladder Infections (Female, ages 12-65) $69   – Bronchitis (ages 10-65) $59   – Ear Infections $59   – Sinus Infections (ages 5+) $59   – Strep Throat (additional lab charges may apply) $69   – Swimmer’s Ear $59    Additional Treatments   – Flu Diagnosis (ages 10-65) $93      – Mononucleosis $69   – Pregnancy Testing $49               – Camp physicals $25    Skin Conditions   – Athlete’s Foot $59                  – Cold Sores $59   – Deer Tick Bites (ages 12+) $59      – Impetigo $59   – Minor Burns $59                     – Minor Skin Infections & Rashes $59   – Minor Sunburn $59                   – Poison Ivy (ages 3+) $59   – Ringworm $59                        – Wart Removal $69   

Vaccines: (Prices vary; vaccines generally have a $0 co-pay for most insurance plans)

   – DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis) $65   – Flu (seasonal) $30   – Hepatitis A (adult) $85   – Hepatitis A (child)  $54   – Hepatitis B (adult) $65   – Hepatitis B (child)  $50   – Meningitis  $110   – MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) $65   – Pneumonia (Oct-Dec) $30   – Polio (IPV) $80   – Td (Tetanus, Diphtheria) $45    About MinuteClinic  

Minneapolis-based MinuteClinic is a subsidiary of CVS/Caremark Corporation , the nation’s premier integrated pharmacy services provider, combining one of the nation’s leading pharmaceutical services companies with the country’s largest pharmacy chain. MinuteClinic launched the first retail health care centers in the United States in 2000 and is the first provider to establish a national presence with more than 175 locations across the country. By creating a health care delivery model that responds to consumer demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. The company has generated more than 850,000 patient visits with a 99 percent customer satisfaction rating. A recognized leader in the patient- centric health care movement, MinuteClinic consistently brings innovation to the marketplace and sets new standards for clinical quality that exceed the national guidelines established for store-based clinics by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). MinuteClinic is the first and only retail health care provider to receive accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (formerly known as JCAHO), the national evaluation and certifying agency for nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.minuteclinic.com/

MinuteClinic health care centers in Illinois are operated by MinuteClinic Diagnostic of Illinois, LLC.

MinuteClinic

CONTACT: Brent Burkhardt, +1-410-986-1303, or bburkhardt@tbc.us, orNicole Atkinson, +1-410-986-1317, or natkinson@tbc.us, both of TBC PublicRelations, for MinuteClinic

Web site: http://www.minuteclinic.com/