Dive Brief:
- CVS has announced new clinical affiliations with University of Maryland Medical System, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston and the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Health System. Patients served at these academic medical centers will have access to services including clinical support, medication counseling and wellness programs at CVS' pharmacies and MinuteClinics in these areas.
- The medical centers and CVS will be integrating electronic medical records, allowing CVS to provide information on medical interventions and medication adherence to physicians. They will also provide visit summaries and medical histories to the medical centers. Physicians will work with MinuteClinic providers on joint clinical programs and care coordination.
- CVS has 7,700 retail pharmacies and 900 MinuteClinics across the country. These new affiliations brings the number of CVS' affiliations with major health systems to 44 nationwide.
Dive Insight:
These new affiliations only further CVS Caremark's move toward dominance in the retail healthcare arena. The company understands that pharmacies can play an integral role in patients' health. CVS CEO Larry Merlo told investors at UBS Global Healthcare Conference that the company expects to have a "footprint of about 1,500 clinics in at least 35 states by 27 teams" later this year. The affiliations will allow hospitals to increase access and capacity, keeping patients out of emergency rooms through the provision of less-expensive care like MinuteClinics.
The announcement comes in the wake of the company's recent high-profile affiliation with the 10-hospital system MedStar Health, based in Washington, DC.
"Many patients rely on their local pharmacist for information and support regarding their prescription medications and these types of affiliations enable CVS pharmacists to help improve affiliated health care providers' patient health outcomes through better medication adherence," said CVS' chief medical officer Dr. Troyen Brennan. "MinuteClinic also plays an important role by providing patients with timely, affordable and high-quality walk-in medical care."