CVS's MinuteClinic partners with UT Medicine San Antonio to increase access to affordable health care services in the region; UT Medicine physicians will act as medical directors of the clinics

Cindy Allen

WOONSOCKET, Rhode Island , November 16, 2012 (press release) – MinuteClinic, the retail health care division of CVS Caremark (CVS), and UT Medicine San Antonio, the academic medical practice of the School of Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, have entered into a clinical affiliation to enhance access to high-quality, affordable health care services in the region.

MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinics are open seven days a week inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in San Antonio. The clinics are staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants who provide treatment for common family illnesses and administer wellness and prevention services, including health condition monitoring.

Under the agreement, UT Medicine physicians will serve as medical directors for MinuteClinic locations in San Antonio. In addition, MinuteClinic and UT Medicine will collaborate on patient education and disease management initiatives and will inform patients of the services each offer. UT Medicine will accept patients who need a level of care that is not provided at MinuteClinic.

"We look forward to building on UT Medicine's more than 40 years of serving patients by helping to expand access to high-quality, affordable health care services in the San Antonio community," said Andrew Sussman, M.D., President, MinuteClinic and Senior Vice President/Associate Chief Medical Officer, CVS Caremark. "Through this agreement, we will collaborate with UT Medicine on information connectivity and a broad range of programs to provide the highest level of care at the lowest overall cost."

"We are very excited to be partnering with MinuteClinic. It is recognized that ready access to quality care and preventive services are essential for the well-being of our community. Our association brings those key elements of the MinuteClinic concept together with our expertise in comprehensive primary care and in the full spectrum of medical and surgical specialties," said Carlos Rosende, M.D., Executive Director of UT Medicine and Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs at the School of Medicine. "Our collaboration will extend superb medical care to a greater segment of our population."

MinuteClinic and UT Medicine will begin to work toward fully integrating electronic medical record systems to streamline communication around all aspects of their patients' care. With patient permission, MinuteClinic will electronically share medical histories and visit summaries with UT Medicine locations. 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 nurse practitioners and physician assistants specialize in family health and offer services for acute ailments 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 patients 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 San Antonio 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 UT Medicine

UT Medicine San Antonio is the premier academic medical practice of the School of Medicine at the UT Health Science Center San Antonio. UT Medicine is the largest medical practice in Central and South Texas with more than 700 physicians. With expertise in over 100 medical specialties and subspecialties, UT Medicine is at the forefront of cutting edge clinical care. UT Medicine also includes the NCI-designated Cancer Therapy & Research Center (CTRC) where faculty physicians see cancer patients and conduct research on the latest cancer therapies. Primary care physicians and specialists see patients in private practice at UT Medicine's flagship clinical home, the Medical Arts & Research Center (MARC), located at 8300 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio 78229. Most major health plans are accepted, and UT Medicine physicians practice at several local and regional hospitals. Call (210) 450-9000 to schedule an appointment, or visit www.UTMedicine.org for a list of clinics and phone numbers.

About MinuteClinic

MinuteClinic is a division of CVS Caremark Corporation (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 patient demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. Nationally, the company has generated more than 13 million patient visits, with a 95% patient satisfaction rating. MinuteClinic is the only retail health care provider to receive three consecutive accreditations 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.

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