MinuteClinic, TriStar Health enter clinical affiliation
WOONSOCKET, R.I. and NASHVILLE, Tenn. — MinuteClinic has entered a clinical affiliation with HCA's TriStar Health, the largest health system in middle Tennessee, to enhance access to high-quality, affordable healthcare services in the Nashville metro area.
MinuteClinic has 14 walk-in medical clinics inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in Middle Tennessee. The agreement includes any current or future locations in Nashville and 10 surrounding counties.
"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 healthcare services," stated Andrew Sussman, president of MinuteClinic and SVP/associate chief medical officer of 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," stated 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.