MinuteClinic Improves Access to Health Care Services for District of Columbia's Northeast Neighborhoods; New Medical Clinic Opens in Ward 7

WASHINGTON, Oct. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- MinuteClinic, the pioneer and largest provider of retail medical clinics in the United States, held a ribbon cutting today to mark the opening of a second MinuteClinic inside a CVS/pharmacy store in the District of Columbia.  MinuteClinic is a division of CVS Caremark Corporation.

The new MinuteClinic, located inside the CVS/pharmacy at 320 40th Street NE in the Benning neighborhood, serves residents in Ward 7 and is within walking distance of Metro stations on the Orange and Blue lines as well as Metrobus service. It joins the first MinuteClinic to open in the District at 845 Bladensburg Road NE in Ward 5 in the Carver Langston neighborhood. Both clinics are open seven days a week and no appointment is needed to see a MinuteClinic advanced nurse practitioner.

David Catania, District of Columbia Councilmember At-Large and Chair of the Council's Committee on Health, and Yvette Alexander, Councilmember for Ward 7, joined executives from CVS Caremark and MinuteClinic today for the ceremony.

"As Chair of the District of Columbia City Council's Committee on Health, I have made it a top priority to expand access to quality health care for all District residents," said Catania.  "That is why I am so pleased to partner with CVS for the opening of the first MinuteClinic east of the Anacostia River.  By offering convenient and affordable routine medical services, the Clinic will go a long way to helping the residents of this community obtain the health care they need."

 
"We are absolutely thrilled to welcome the MinuteClinic to Ward 7," said Alexander. "This is one way to meet the growing demand of health services needed in our community."

"Since opening our first store-based clinic in the District in November 2009 we have continued to work with the councilmembers and health officials to determine additional locations where we can help to bring high-quality, affordable medical care to families in Northeast," said Paulette Thabault, MinuteClinic chief nurse practitioner officer. "We are committed to helping the District broaden access to health care services and plan to announce additional MinuteClinic openings in the coming year."  

MinuteClinic board-certified nurse practitioners specialize in family health care and are trained to diagnose, treat and write prescriptions for common illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections. Minor wounds, abrasions and joint sprains are treated, and common vaccinations such as influenza, tetanus, pneumovax and Hepatitis A & B are available at most locations. 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, high cholesterol and asthma.

Most health insurance is accepted at the MinuteClinic locations in the District including Medicaid and Medicare. For patients paying cash or credit, treatment prices are posted at each medical center and on www.minuteclinic.com. The cost for most treatment starts at $69.

MinuteClinic nurse practitioners use a software program that, at the conclusion of each visit, generates educational material, an invoice and a prescription (when clinically appropriate) for the patient, as well as a diagnostic record that can be sent via electronic health record, fax or mail to a primary care provider with patient permission. In addition, MinuteClinic practitioners will help patients locate a primary care provider in the community if they do not have one

MinuteClinic medical walk-in clinics in the District of Columbia operate from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.

MinuteClinic medical clinics can also be found inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in Montgomery and Prince George's counties in Maryland and in cities throughout Northern Virginia.  

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 health care centers in the United States in 2000 and is the first provider to establish a national presence, with approximately 500 locations in 26 states and the District of Columbia. By creating a health care delivery model that responds to patient needs, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. Nationally, the company has generated more than 8 million patient visits, with a 95% customer satisfaction rating. MinuteClinic consistently brings innovation to the marketplace and sets new standards for clinical quality that exceed the national guidelines established for store-based clinics.  MinuteClinic is the first retail health care provider to receive accreditation (2006) and reaccreditation (2009) 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