MinuteClinic Launches New Virtual Care Offering in New Mexico

MinuteClinic Video Visits are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the CVS Pharmacy App and CVS.com

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Dec 18, 2018, 09:00 ET

WOONSOCKET, R.I., Dec. 18, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today announced that MinuteClinic, the company's retail medical clinic, has rolled out its new virtual health care offering in the state of New Mexico. People in New Mexico with minor illnesses and injuries, skin conditions and other wellness needs can now seek care through MinuteClinic Video Visits, a telehealth offering. MinuteClinic Video Visits provide patients with access to care 24 hours a day, seven days a week from their mobile device or computer.

"We're excited to introduce MinuteClinic Video Visits to people who live and work in New Mexico," said Marc-David Munk, MD, MPH, MHCM, Chief Medical Officer, CVS MinuteClinic and Associate Chief Medical Officer, CVS Health. "At CVS Health, we're committed to delivering high-quality care when and where our patients need it and at prices they can afford. This new MinuteClinic service offers New Mexico residents access to an innovative, on-demand health care option right from their cell phone or computer."

MinuteClinic has been testing telehealth as a method of increasing access to care in recent years. During the initial phase of testing, a CVS Health study found that 95 percent of patients who opted to receive a telehealth visit were highly satisfied with the quality of care they received.^¹ In the same study, 95 percent of patients were satisfied with the convenience of using the telehealth service and the overall telehealth experience. Those results led the company to develop MinuteClinic Video Visits.

Working collaboratively with Teladoc (NYSE: TDOC), the global leader in virtual care, and leveraging Teladoc's technology platform, patients can receive care via a MinuteClinic Video Visit, initiated through the CVS Pharmacy app and CVS.com. Patients who opt to seek care through a fully customized MinuteClinic Video Visit experience the same high-quality, evidence-based care they receive at traditional MinuteClinic locations inside select CVS Pharmacy and Target stores, including the six MinuteClinic locations in New Mexico.

A video visit can be used to care for patients ages two years and up who are seeking treatment for a minor illness, minor injury, or a skin condition. Each patient will complete a health questionnaire, then be matched to a board-certified health care provider licensed in their state, who will review the completed questionnaire with the patient's medical history, and proceed with the video-enabled visit.

During a MinuteClinic Video Visit, the provider will assess the patient's condition and determine the appropriate course of treatment following evidence-based clinical care guidelines. For patients who require a prescription as part of their treatment plan, the provider will submit the prescription to the patient's preferred pharmacy. If it is determined the patient should be seen in person for follow-up care or testing, the provider will recommend that the patient visit a health care provider in their community, such as their primary care provider or a nearby MinuteClinic location.

A MinuteClinic Video Visit costs $59, which is currently payable by credit card or debit card. Insurance coverage will be added to the experience in the coming months. The service, first introduced in August 2018, is now available in 18 states - Arizona, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Virginia and Wyoming - and Washington D.C. and is expected to be available nationwide, where allowed, by the end of 2018.

About CVS Health
CVS Health is the nation's premier health innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Whether in one of its pharmacies or through its health services and plans, CVS Health is pioneering a bold new approach to total health by making quality care more affordable, accessible, simple and seamless. CVS Health is community-based and locally focused, engaging consumers with the care they need when and where they need it. The Company has more than 9,800 retail locations, approximately 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 93 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. CVS Health also serves an estimated 39 million people through traditional, voluntary and consumer-directed health insurance products and related services, including a rapidly expanding Medicare Advantage offering. This innovative health care 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.

Media Contacts

Amy Lanctot
CVS Health
401-770-2931
[email protected]

¹ Polinski, J. M., Barker, T., Gagliano, N., Sussman, A., Brennan, T. A., & Shrank, W. H. (2016). Patients' Satisfaction with and Preference for Telehealth Visits. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 31(3), 269–275. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-015-3489-x

SOURCE CVS Health