CVS Health to Embark on Pilot Program to Combat Diabetes in Medically Underserved Atlanta Neighborhoods

Collaboration with Rimidi aimed at meeting residents' needs for chronic disease care

News provided by

Oct 16, 2018, 14:00 ET

WOONSOCKET, R.I., Oct. 16, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) announced today that it is embarking on a pilot project in the Tri-Cities area of Atlanta, Georgia, aimed at addressing diabetes in medically underserved communities with chronically high rates of this disease. In collaboration with Rimidi, Inc., a digital health company, and select community organizations, CVS Health will work to heighten awareness of diabetes and improve access to care among Tri-Cities area residents.

Through the collaboration, CVS Health and Rimidi will engage community-based organizations to ensure that at-risk residents can be identified for participation in the program. This grassroots approach will help ensure residents have access to care in their own communities with the help of best-in-class organizations that are providing health care and community services for those who need it most.

"Like many major U.S cities, Atlanta has significant disparities in life-expectancy across the metropolitan area, from 71 years in medically underserved communities to 84 years in more affluent neighborhoods. Our collaboration with CVS Health will build on the foundation laid by community partners to address these needs and to bring health care services to people where they live and work," said Dr. Lucienne Ide, Rimidi chair.

Together with community organizations, Rimidi and CVS Health will enroll residents onto the Rimidi platform and engage them in the diabetes education and support services offered through the pilot. The combination of hyper-local health care services through a pilot CVS Pharmacy location and digital services through Rimidi aims to decrease barriers to care and improve the patient experience. CVS pharmacists and community certified diabetes educators will have the goal of supporting participants throughout the continuum of care, providing additional touch points designed to address their individual needs between primary care visits.

"CVS Health has a community-based focus, engaging consumers with the care they need when and where they need it, including through face-to-face contact with CVS pharmacists right in their neighborhoods," said Thomas Moriarty, Chief Policy and External Affairs Officer, CVS Health. "The organizations that we collaborate with, such as Rimidi, are helping us deliver on our purpose of helping people on their path to better health."

CVS Health has a longstanding commitment to building healthier communities for the people of Georgia. Through its employee volunteer program, CVS Health colleagues logged more than 680 volunteer hours last year in Georgia in support of local community causes throughout the state. Additionally, over the past three years, CVS Health has contributed nearly $850,000 to local community organizations in Georgia, lending its support to programs that improve access to health care; provide chronic disease management; promote smoking cessation and youth tobacco prevention; and help combat prescription drug abuse.

About CVS Health
CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its more than 9,800 retail locations, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 94 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, expanding specialty pharmacy services, and a leading stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, the company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.

About Rimidi

Rimidi is addressing the healthcare problem of our generation—cardio-metabolic diseases, which account for 70 percent of healthcare spend. For doctors by doctors, Rimidi enables efficient personalized care to forward the future of healthcare. Rimidi's platform derives actionable insight for clinicians and care teams from individual patient data, and integrates seamlessly into provider EHR systems, optimizing clinical workflow, improving health outcomes, and reducing costs. Rimidi's Community Health program aims to break the cycle of predetermined health outcomes in medically underserved communities by providing better access to care and education through innovations. To learn more, visit https://rimidi.com.

Media Contact:
Carolyn Castel
[email protected]
401-770-5717

Emily Keough
[email protected]
513.240.5352

SOURCE CVS Health