An Innovation in Health Care Opens at CVS/pharmacy Stores in Northern New Jersey
17 November 2006 - 12:55AM
PR Newswire (US)
MinuteClinic Health Care Centers Provide Quality and Convenience
Close to Home and the Workplace WAYNE, N.J., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/
-- Quick, convenient, quality medical care has come to Northern New
Jersey at nine MinuteClinic health care centers now open in Bergen,
Morris, Middlesex, Monmouth and Passaic counties. MinuteClinic
health care centers are staffed by board-certified nurse
practitioners who specialize in Family Medicine and are trained to
diagnose, treat and write prescriptions (when clinically
appropriate) for common family illnesses such as strep throat and
ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections. MinuteClinic
also offers common vaccinations, such as flu shots, tetanus, MMR,
and Hepatitis A & B. MinuteClinic health care centers are open
Mon.-Fri. from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sat. and Sun. from 10 a.m. to
4 p.m., and are inside the following CVS/pharmacy stores throughout
Northern New Jersey: -- Chester, CVS/pharmacy - 183 Route 206 South
-- Denville, CVS/pharmacy - 276 Main Street -- Marlboro,
CVS/pharmacy - 4 Ryan Road -- New Milford, CVS/pharmacy -
Brookchester Shopping Center (880 River Road) -- North Brunswick,
CVS/ Pharmacy - 2257 US Highway 1 -- Old Bridge, CVS/pharmacy -
2988 Route 516 -- Wayne, CVS/pharmacy - 2440 Hamburg Turnpike --
Whippany, CVS/pharmacy - 831-1 Route 10 -- Wyckoff, CVS/pharmacy-
303 Franklin Avenue An additional MinuteClinic health care center
will open in Manalapan later this month. MinuteClinic, a subsidiary
of CVS Corporation, is the pioneer and largest provider of retail
health care in the United States with 117 health care centers in 17
states. In addition to Northern New Jersey, MinuteClinic health
care centers are located in the following metro areas: Atlanta,
Austin, Baltimore, Charlotte, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit,
Hartford, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Minneapolis-St. Paul,
Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix, Providence, Raleigh-Durham, Seattle,
Stamford, and the Maryland area 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 high-quality, convenient and affordable
service for common maladies that is available seven days a week."
MinuteClinic is working closely with the larger insurance carriers
in New Jersey to be a participating provider in their networks. For
patients who are a member of Aetna (PPO), Beech Street, CBSA,
ChoiceCare Network (PPO), First Health Direct, Great-West
Healthcare, Humana (PPO only), Medicare, TRICARE Standard, and
Wausau, MinuteClinic will accept as payment the office visit co-pay
indicated on their insurance card. For patients paying cash or
credit, 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 for
merchandising at CVS/pharmacy. "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 nurse
practitioners who are Registered Nurses (RNs) with college degrees
and have two additional years of graduate-level training in family
practice medicine. Nurse practitioners work in collaboration with
physicians and may prescribe medication when clinically
appropriate. Donna Jeskey, nurse practitioner and manager of
operations, oversees MinuteClinic locations in Northern New Jersey.
MinuteClinic practitioners use a software program that at the
conclusion of each visit generates educational material, an invoice
and a prescription 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 is on call during all hours of
operation. "Every MinuteClinic patient assessment and treatment
follows nationally established clinical practice guidelines from
the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy
of Pediatrics that are embedded in our electronic medical records
system," said 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 health care centers only
serve 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." 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 $69 (additional lab charges
may apply) -Swimmer's Ear $59 Additional Treatments -Flu Diagnosis
(ages 10-65) $93 -Mononucleosis $69 -Pregnancy Testing $49 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 (Oct-Dec) $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 Corporation
(NYSE: CVS), the leader in America's retail pharmacy industry with
more than 40 years of dynamic growth. 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 115 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 nearly 600,000 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 (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
New Jersey are operated by MinuteClinic Diagnostic of New Jersey,
LLC DATASOURCE: MinuteClinic CONTACT: Brent Burkhardt,
+1-410-986-1303, , or Nicole Atkinson, +1-410-986-1317, , both of
TBC Public Relations for MinuteClinic Web Site:
http://www.minuteclinic.com/
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