MinuteClinic enters partnership with Catholic Healthcare West
WOONSOCKET, R.I. MinuteClinic and Catholic Healthcare West, the eighth-largest hospital provider in the nation, have entered into a clinical collaboration to enhance the healthcare services they provide in communities throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area.
"We share a common goal with Catholic Healthcare West to strengthen the Phoenix community by expanding access to high quality, affordable health care services in locations close to where people live and work," stated Andrew Sussman, president, MinuteClinic and SVP/associate chief medical officer, CVS Caremark. "Through this agreement, Catholic Healthcare West will serve as a valuable resource to MinuteClinic nurse practitioners in Phoenix. We also look forward to collaborating with Catholic Healthcare West on information connectivity and a broad range of programs, including our new monitoring services and lab testing for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol and asthma patients."
Under the agreement, family physicians on the medical staff of a CHW hospital will serve as medical directors for MinuteClinic locations in Phoenix. In addition, MinuteClinic and CHW will collaborate on patient education and disease-management initiatives and will inform patients of the services each offers. CHW 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 is a clinical collaborator with Catholic Healthcare West.
Later this year, MinuteClinic and CHW will work to fully integrate their electronic medical record systems to streamline communication around all aspects of an individual's care. With patient permission, each CHW-affiliated MinuteClinic will share medical history and visit summaries with other CHW locations in Phoenix. In the meantime, MinuteClinic will continue its standard practice of sending visit summaries via fax or mail, typically within 24 hours.
MinuteClinic currently has 10 walk-in medical clinics inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in the Phoenix region.
Catholic Healthcare West operates a not-for-profit network of hospitals and hospital-affiliated medical facilities throughout the Phoenix region, including St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Chandler Regional Medical Center and Mercy Gilbert Medical Center.
"This strategic collaboration will create a seamless linkage to CHW's broader continuum of care. CHW will continue to seek relationships with 'best-in-class organizations' that will provide the community with greater access to convenient, high quality health care services," added Scott Nordlund, CHW's VP new venture and partnership development.