Florida Hospital Medical Group and MinuteClinic Enter Into Clinical Collaboration in Central Florida

WOONSOCKET, R.I. and MAITLAND, Fla., June 13, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- MinuteClinic, the retail health care division of CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS), is partnering with Florida Hospital Medical Group (FHMG), a multi-specialty physician group affiliated with Florida Hospital, in a clinical affiliation that expands access to convenient, affordable health care services in Central Florida.

Under the agreement, FHMG physicians will serve as medical directors for a dozen MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinics inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in the City of Orlando and five surrounding counties: Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk and Seminole.

MinuteClinic and FHMG will also collaborate on patient education and disease management initiatives. FHMG and Florida Hospital will accept patients requiring a level of care outside the scope of Minute Clinic's walk-in services for common family illnesses, wellness and prevention services, including health condition monitoring.

"MinuteClinic joins Florida Hospital Medical Group in its commitment to help patients remain healthy by making high-quality, cost-effective medical care more accessible in Central Florida," said Andrew Sussman, M.D., President, MinuteClinic and Senior Vice President/Associate Chief Medical Officer, CVS Caremark. "Florida Hospital has a long tradition of forging successful community partnerships, and we look forward to having their physicians collaborate with our nurse practitioners to provide quality oversight, teaching and back-up so we can provide the best care at the lowest overall cost."

MinuteClinic and FHMG will also work toward fully integrating electronic medical record systems to streamline communication around all aspects of patients' care. 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 of the visit.

"Our goal is to supplement the efficient and convenient care already provided by MinuteClinic with additional support and clinical expertise, which will improve primary care access for our community and expand our continuum of care," said Neil Finkler, M.D., Chief Medical Officer of FHMG. "This partnership will streamline patient care communication and facilitate access to FHMG practitioners for patients in need of further medical care."

MinuteClinic practitioners specialize in family health care and 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.

No appointments are required at MinuteClinic, and most health insurance is accepted. Clinics in Central Florida 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 Florida Hospital Medical Group

With more than 110 physician practice locations and 41 medical specialties, Florida Hospital Medical Group is Central Florida's largest multi-specialty physician group, caring for nearly one million patients a year. The Medical Group's 290 physicians are affiliated with Florida Hospital – one of the largest not-for-profit hospitals in the country.

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 consumer demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. Nationally, the company has generated more than 12 million patient visits, with a 95% customer satisfaction rating.  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