MinuteClinic Announces First-of-its-Kind Initiative with the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System

Collaboration will offer increased access to high-quality and convenient health care services to Veterans enrolled in the health care system

News provided by

CVS Health

May 24, 2016, 12:22 ET

WOONSOCKET, R.I., May 24, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- MinuteClinic, the walk-in medical clinic of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), announced today a new initiative with the Department of Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System to expand access to high quality and convenient health care services for Veterans in Northern California. Through this initiative, more than 60,000 Veterans who are enrolled in the VA Palo Alto HCS can now be referred to MinuteClinic for acute health services.

"We are pleased to announce this new initiative with the VA Palo Alto Health Care System," said Andrew Sussman, M.D., Executive Vice President and Associate Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health and President, MinuteClinic. "Through this arrangement, MinuteClinic and the VA Palo Alto will join forces to provide Veterans in Northern California with additional options for high quality clinical services. We're committed to providing top-notch care to the area's Veterans and this relationship will allow us to do so in locations and at times that are convenient for the VA's patients."

VA Palo Alto HCS consists of three inpatient facilities located at Palo Alto, Menlo Park, and Livermore, plus seven outpatient clinics in San Jose, Fremont, Capitola, Monterey, Stockton, Modesto, and Sonora. Veterans who call the VA Palo Alto's Nurse Helpline (1-800-445-0057) can be referred to one of 14 area MinuteClinic locations for treatment of common illnesses. As an added convenience, Veterans who are written a prescription at a MinuteClinic visit will be able to fill it at CVS Pharmacy.

"This program reaffirms our commitment to access through innovation and flexible health care delivery," said Dr. Stephen Ezeji-Okoye, Deputy Chief of Staff, VA Palo Alto Health Care System. "The diverse geography of our Veteran population requires us to think about access as providing the right care at the right place at the right time - as defined by the Veteran. We are particularly excited about working with MinuteClinic because they share our commitment to high quality care and our belief in meeting Veterans needs as efficiently and effectively as possible."

MinuteClinic and the VA Palo Alto will utilize an interconnected electronic medical record (EMR) system, which will advance clinical care for the Veterans treated through the arrangement. After patient consent, participating MinuteClinic locations will electronically send patient visit summaries to the patient's primary care physician at the VA. If more comprehensive care is needed, Veterans will be directed to follow up with their VA primary care provider for additional services as appropriate.

"By allowing our electronic health records to communicate and share important clinical information, we'll have a more comprehensive view of the Veterans we collectively serve, which will enable important health care decision making and ensure continuity of care," Sussman added.

Nurse practitioners at MinuteClinic specialize in family health care and can diagnose, treat and write prescriptions, as appropriate, for common family illnesses such as strep throat; ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections; nausea, vomiting and diarrhea; and heartburn and indigestion. Minor wounds, abrasions, skin conditions, sprains and strains are treated, and common vaccinations such as influenza, tetanus, pneumonia and Hepatitis A and B are available at most locations.

Prevention and wellness services include screening and monitoring for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, tuberculosis (TB) testing, contraceptive care, motion sickness prevention and smoking cessation. MinuteClinic is open seven days a week and no appointment is necessary.

The 14 MinuteClinic locations that are participating in the VA Palo Alto collaboration include:

MinuteClinic, 1871 El Camino Real, Burlingame, CA
MinuteClinic, 576 E El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, CA
MinuteClinic, 2514 Berryessa Road, San Jose, CA
MinuteClinic, 2700 Homestead Road, Santa Clara, CA
MinuteClinic, 2630 W El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA
MinuteClinic, 1720 S Bascom Avenue, Campbell, CA
MinuteClinic, 987 E Hillsdale Boulevard, Foster City, CA
MinuteClinic, 10455 S De Anza Boulevard, Cupertino, CA
MinuteClinic, 2455 San Ramon Valley Boulevard, San Ramon, CA
MinuteClinic 1350 Florin Road, Sacramento, CA
MinuteClinic, 5040 Laguna Boulevard, Elk Grove, CA
MinuteClinic, 650 San Ramon Valley Boulevard, Danville, CA
MinuteClinic, 738 Bancroft Road, Walnut Creek, CA
MinuteClinic, 8101 Greenback Lane, Fair Oaks, CA

About CVS Health
CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its more than 9,600 retail pharmacies, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with nearly 80 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, and expanding specialty pharmacy services, 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.