CVS Adds Clinics to Pharmacies

MINNEAPOLIS-Drug store giant CVS recently opened a new health service in two of its stores in the Twin Cities and one in Annapolis, MD. Called MinuteClinic, the Minneapolis-based health care clinic will open in the Eagan and Plymouth CVS/pharmacy locations, the first time the clinic has opened in a CVS/pharmacy.

The two locations are at the CVS/pharmacy located at 4241 Johnny Cake Rd. in Eagan and at the CVS/pharmacy 4140 County Rd., 101 North in Plymouth. MinuteClinic operates 15 health care centers in retail and business locations in the Twin Cities and seven in retail locations in Maryland.

MinuteClinic says it plans to open additional CVS/pharmacy locations in Twin Cities suburbs later this year, and in other metropolitan markets in future years. CVS and MinuteClinic did not disclose the specific terms of their agreement or the number and location of planned future CVS/MinuteClinic sites.

MinuteClinic is a “mini medical office” staffed by family nurse practitioners and physician assistants designed to diagnose and treat common family illnesses such as strep throat and ear, sinus, bladder and eye infections. MinuteClinic health professionals also offer a series of health screenings for cholesterol, glucose, thyroid and early memory loss, as well as common vaccinations, such as tetanus, MMR and Hepatitis B. Each MinuteClinic also has a physician available on call at all times of operation.

The clinics bring in patients, and increase business for the drug stores, since those patients often get their resulting prescriptions filled at the CVS pharmacy. Since the visits typically take 10 to 15 minutes, no appointment is necessary. CVS has more than 5,400 retail and specialty pharmacy stores in 36 states and the District of Columbia.