MinuteClinic

MinuteClinic is the pioneer and largest provider of retail-based health care in the United States. Thanks to their innovations and safeguards, MinuteClinic provides quick, convenient, top-quality health care seven days a week. Visits last about 15 minutes with no appointment necessary, and treatments are affordable, ranging between $30 and $110, which are reimbursed by most health plans.

In November 2008, CVS Caremark announced the findings from a yearlong study on the influenza vaccine, suggesting that influenza vaccinations can help reduce the risk of hospitalizations in patients with chronic conditions. The CVS Caremark study monitored the impact of influenza vaccination on subsequent hospitalization rates for all participants. Results indicated that for chronic disease patients who received the influenza vaccine there was a 19 percent reduction in hospitalization for all causes and a 24 percent reduction in flu and pneumonia-related hospitalizations. The study and analysis evaluated 19,908 participants enrolled in a comprehensive common chronic disease management program. The subjects were selected from a continuously enrolled population of all ages – all of whom were predetermined to have one of a number of chronic conditions including asthma, diabetes, coronary artery disease, heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

But despite the benefits of flu vaccinations, a nationwide survey conducted by CVS in September found that only half of adults (50 percent) planned to get a flu shot in 2008. Among those who do regularly get a shot, 55 percent wait until a normally scheduled visit to their doctor or health care provider. Those at highest risk for the flu include individuals with chronic diseases such as diabetes, asthma and heart disease; women who are pregnant; health care workers and young children, but those who wait too long, or choose not to get vaccinated at all risk time away from work, school and other activities. They also risk the possibility of hospitalization or an even more serious outcome.

In an effort to take a proactive pharmacy approach to help patients benefit from the positive impact of an annual influenza vaccination, CVS pharmacy and MinuteClinic announced in December 2008 that they had surpassed their goal of delivering one million flu vaccinations during the Fall's flu shot season. The companies, both divisions of CVS Caremark Corp., launched an integrated campaign on Oct. 1 which provided vaccinations to consumers at 7,500 scheduled flu shot clinic events in select CVS/pharmacy stores as well as flu shots on demand seven days a week at more than 550 MinuteClinic health care centers located in 27 states. Flu shots at MinuteClinic are $30 and may be covered in whole or in part by insurance.

Results

According to the HEALTH A F FA I R S article "Use And Costs Of Care In Retail Clinics Versus Traditional Care Sites," after adjusting for the differences in chronic illness burden, total costs for an episode of care at MinuteClinics are lower than at physicians' offices and urgent care centers (largely because of lower E&M service costs).
Average pharmacy costs per episode are also slightly lower at MinuteClinics than at other sites of service. This might be attributable to lower prescribing rates, as observed by others.
In 2008, MinuteClinic provided more than 1 million influenza vaccinations to consumers at 7,500 scheduled flu shot clinic events in select CVS/pharmacy stores as well as flu shots on demand seven days a week at more than 550 MinuteClinic health care centers located in 27 states.

***For further information, please visit cvscaremark.com. Media Contact: Christine Cramer, CVS Caremark, ckcramer@cvs.com.

Published: January 26, 2009