MinuteClinic, a division of CVS Caremark Corporation (CVS), has opened a new clinic location inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in New Hampshire. This initiative marks MinuteClinic’s foray into the 28th U.S. state.
Clinics are now open in Concord and West Lebanon in New Hampshire. Further expansion plans are underway, with a Salem clinic to be opened on Dec 11 and new clinics to be flagged off in Hampton, Manchester and Nashua in early Jan 2014.
The opening of these latest clinics also marks a new collaboration with Dartmouth-Hitchcock, the only medical centre in the state. The partnership is expected to make available high-quality, affordable healthcare services in the Granite State, with a network of nearly 1,500 physicians from Dartmouth-Hitchcock.
The MinuteClinic medical clinics will operate on all seven days of the week, including weekday evenings. Prior appointments will not be necessary. Per the agreement, the broad network of Dartmouth-Hitchcock physicians will act as medical directors for MinuteClinic in the state. Medical professionals from both the parties will be accountable for patient education and disease management activities.
In keeping with its trend in all the other states, Minute Clinic will employ well-trained, licensed nurse practitioners proficient to diagnose, treat, and write prescriptions for common family illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder, and bronchial infections and minor wounds, abrasions and joint sprains. Additionally, they shall also be specialized to administer wellness and prevention services, like common vaccinations, with regular monitoring of the health conditions of patients.
MinuteClinic and Dartmouth-Hitchcock are also currently planning to integrate electronic medical record systems to reduce communication hurdles in each individual's care. MinuteClinic will electronically share medical histories and visit summaries of patients with other Dartmouth-Hitchcock locations in New Hampshire. This is a customer-driven approach to make primary healthcare easily accessible to existing and potential patients of D-H Primary Care services.
The primary mission of MinuteClinic healthcare providers is to meet the growing healthcare needs of people, with an added focus on convenience and affordability. Ever since its launch as the first retail medical clinic in the United States in 2000, MinuteClinic has been expanding its retail network to deliver quality medical healthcare services to people.
Currently, CVS carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). However, investors interested in the industry can look at stocks like Rite Aid Corporation (RAD) and Air Methods Corp. (AIRM), each carrying a Zack Rank #1 (Strong Buy), and Herbalife Ltd. (HLF) with a Zacks Rank # 2 (Buy).
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