MinuteClinic and Greenville Hospital System Form Clinical Affiliation in Upstate South Carolina

WOONSOCKET, R.I. and GREENVILLE, S.C., Feb. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- MinuteClinic, the retail health care division of CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS), and Greenville Hospital System (GHS) – South Carolina's largest health system, with five medical campuses, outpatient and specialty centers and a large network of physician practices – have entered into a clinical affiliation to enhance access to high quality, affordable healthcare services in the Upstate.

MinuteClinic has 11 walk-in medical clinics open seven days a week inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in the Upstate with no appointment necessary. The agreement includes locations throughout the Upstate, including Greenville, Simpsonville, Spartanburg, Anderson, Clemson and surrounding communities. Additional locations in Spartanburg and Travelers Rest are expected to open in the spring. The clinics are staffed by nurse practitioners who provide treatment for common family illnesses and administer wellness and prevention services, including health-condition monitoring.

"By providing high quality, accessible and affordable medical services in convenient retail locations throughout the Upstate, MinuteClinic shares Greenville Hospital System's vision to transform health care in the communities we serve," said Andrew Sussman, M.D., President, MinuteClinic and Senior Vice President/Associate Chief Medical Officer, CVS Caremark.

The clinical affiliation encourages collaboration among GHS and MinuteClinic providers to improve coordination of care for patients seen at these locations. GHS will provide the required physician supervision for nurse practitioners at MinuteClinic locations. GHS, an academic medical center, will also help assist with the continuing education needs of the nurse practitioners.

"Part of providing great care is providing the right level of care at times that work for our patients," said Angelo Sinopoli, M.D., GHS' vice president for clinical integration and Chief Medical Officer. "Innovations like MinuteClinic and our popular MD360 Convenient Care, which has extended physician hours and accepts walk-in patients, are important elements of an accessible, affordable care continuum."

GHS, which celebrated its centennial in 2012, is supported by a medical staff of more than 1,250 physicians.

MinuteClinic and GHS will begin to work toward fully integrating electronic medical record systems to streamline communication around all aspects of each individual's care.  With patient permission, MinuteClinic will electronically share medical histories and visit summaries with other GHS locations.  In the meantime, MinuteClinic will continue its standard practice of sending patient visit summaries to primary care providers via fax or mail, typically within 24 hours. 

MinuteClinic fills an important role in the care continuum with nurse practitioners who can diagnose, treat and write prescriptions for common illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections. Minor wounds, abrasions, skin conditions and joint sprains are treated, and common vaccinations such as influenza, tetanus, pneumonia, pertussis and Hepatitis A & B are available at most locations. Walk-in camp, sports and college physicals for adolescents are available daily. In addition, MinuteClinic administers a series of wellness services designed to help consumers identify lifestyle changes needed to improve their current and future health, including screenings and monitoring for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. 

MinuteClinic locations in the Upstate are open Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

About Greenville Hospital System 
Greenville Hospital System (GHS) is committed to medical excellence through research, education and high-quality patient care. GHS offers patients a sophisticated network of expertise and technologies through its five medical campuses, tertiary medical center, research and education facilities, community hospitals, physician practices and numerous specialty facilities in upstate South Carolina. The 1,268-bed system is home to 14 medical residency and fellowship programs and the state's largest number of active clinical trials – 600+. For the fourth consecutive year, its flagship Greenville Memorial Hospital was ranked among the nation's top 50 hospitals in a specialty area in U.S. News' America's Best Hospitals. In July 2012, the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville opened a four-year medical school at GHS. For more information, visit ghs.org.

About MinuteClinic
MinuteClinic is a division of CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS), the largest pharmacy health care provider in the United States. MinuteClinic launched the first retail medical clinics in the United States in 2000 and is the largest provider of retail clinics with approximately 600 locations in 25 states and the District of Columbia. By creating a health care delivery model that responds to patient demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. Nationally, the company has generated more than 15 million patient visits, with a 95% customer satisfaction rating. MinuteClinic is the only retail health care provider to receive three consecutive accreditations from The Joint Commission, the national evaluation and certifying agency for nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. For more information, visit www.MinuteClinic.com.

SOURCE MinuteClinic