MinuteClinic joins forces with Allina Hospitals & Clinics of Minnesota

NEW YORK The alliance between CVS Caremark's MinuteClinic and Allina Hospitals & Clinics may not be the first time that a clinic operator has partnered with a hospital system, but that doesn't mean that the partnership is any less important.

In fact, the fact that the industry is seeing more of these types of alliances is not only one more example of how the convenient care clinic model continues to evolve but it is also a clear indication of the growing acceptance of the retail clinic concept among the established medical community.

As mentioned in the article, MinuteClinic and Allina will collaborate on aligning their clinical care operations, including medical oversight and informing patients of each party's services. Furthermore, their EMR systems will be streamlined via a newly developed interface.

So, in other words, these types of relationship will facilitate continuous and consistent care among all levels and types of providers. These alliances also enable a ready and easily accessible source of referrals, whether it is from or to the clinics.

As Drug Store News has stated several times before, at the end of the day this is yet one more example of how community pharmacy is positioning itself on the frontlines of healthcare reform.