MinuteClinic and TriStar Health Form Clinical Affiliation in Middle Tennessee

WOONSOCKET, R.I. and NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- MinuteClinic, the retail health care division of CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS), and HCA's TriStar Health, the largest and most comprehensive health system in Middle Tennessee, have entered into a clinical affiliation to enhance access to high quality, affordable health care services in the Nashville metropolitan area.

MinuteClinic has 14 walk-in medical clinics open seven days a week inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in Middle Tennessee. The agreement includes any current or future locations in Nashville and 10 surrounding counties: Cheatham, Dickson, Hickman, Maury, Montgomery, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson and Wilson.  The clinics are staffed by nurse practitioners who provide treatment for common family illnesses and administer wellness and prevention services, including health condition monitoring.

"MinuteClinic joins TriStar Health in its commitment to provide the highest quality medical care to the people of Middle Tennessee with a focus on reducing costs and increasing accessibility to health care services," said Andrew Sussman, M.D., President, MinuteClinic and Senior Vice President/Associate Chief Medical Officer, CVS Caremark.  "In addition, TriStar has been at the forefront of electronic medical record technology. We look forward to working with them to integrate our systems and develop collaborative programs that improve patient outcomes and help people on their path to better health."

TriStar Health in Middle Tennessee includes 11 hospitals and two ambulatory surgery centers supported by about 2,800 physicians.

"We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with MinuteClinic and enhance the overall continuity of care for patients in the communities we serve," said Steve Corbeil, president of TriStar Health.  "This expanded clinical coordination is a natural partnership because their model to provide basic primary care at the time of day and at locations that are convenient for each patient goes hand in hand with TriStar's mission to provide quality, cost effective healthcare services close to where our patients live and work."

Under the agreement, TriStar Health physicians will serve as medical directors for MinuteClinic locations in Middle Tennessee.  In addition, MinuteClinic and TriStar Health will collaborate on patient education and disease management initiatives and will inform patients of the services each offers.  TriStar Health will accept patients who need a level of care that is not provided at MinuteClinic. Signage at MinuteClinic locations will inform patients that each site has a clinical affiliation with TriStar Health.

MinuteClinic and TriStar Health will begin to work toward fully integrating their electronic medical record systems to streamline communication around all aspects of each individual's care.  With patient permission, MinuteClinic will electronically share medical histories and visit summaries with other TriStar Health locations in Middle Tennessee.  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.

MinuteClinic practitioners specialize in family health care and can diagnose, treat and write prescriptions for common family 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, 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. Most clinics in Middle Tennessee are open Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

About TriStar Health 
TriStar Health is the region's largest, most comprehensive healthcare provider with 18 hospitals and 10 ambulatory surgery centers in Tennessee, South Central Kentucky and Northern Georgia. As a system, the hospitals are supported by approximately 5,300 physicians and nearly 13,000 employees. TriStar Health facilities feature state-of-the-art technology and pioneer new medical procedures every day to accommodate the needs of the more than 110,000 patient admissions and nearly 515,000 Emergency Department visits annually.  For more information about TriStar Health, or for a physician referral, call TriStar MedLine(SM) at 615-342-1919 or toll-free outside of Nashville at 1-800-242-5662 or visit TriStarHealth.com.

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 more than 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 11 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

CONTACT: Carolyn Castel, +1-401-770-5717, CVS Caremark, ccastel@cvs.com; or Brent Burkhardt, +1-410-986-1303, TBC (for MinuteClinic), bburkhardt@tbc.us; or Krinda Hie, +1-615-319-5715, TriStar Health, krinda.hie@hcahealthcare.com