MinuteClinic to support Million Hearts with free blood-pressure checks in May
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark announced on Wednesday that it is supporting Million Hearts during National High Blood Pressure Education Month in May through a number of patient-focused initiatives.
Launched by the Department of Health and Human Services and led by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Million Hearts is a national initiative to prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes in the United States over the next five years.
In support of Million Hearts, MinuteClinic will be offering free blood-pressure checks on Fridays in May: May 4, 11, 18 and 25. No appointment is necessary and a MinuteClinic practitioner will discuss the results and make recommendations for keeping blood pressure under control, including staying on prescribed medication and taking it as directed.
"One in three adults in the U.S. has high blood pressure, increasing their risk for heart disease and stroke," said Andrew Sussman, president of MinuteClinic and SVP/associate chief medical officer at CVS Caremark. "We're pleased to support Million Hearts by screening, educating and monitoring people who, for a variety of reasons, may have difficulty accessing preventive care, which is vital when it comes to heart health."
In addition, CVS/pharmacy will host a live Facebook chat with a CVS pharmacist and MinuteClinic nurse practitioner on May 16. The live online event will be free and open to the public and can be accessed by logging on to the CVS/pharmacy Facebook page. The discussion will focus on practical ways patients can remember to take their medication as directed and other issues facing those who are managing such chronic conditions as hypertension.
In an effort to attack the high costs of cardiovascular illnesses and to improve the treatment outcomes of cardiac patients, CVS Caremark has launched Pharmacy Advisor for chronic cardiovascular care, a pharmacy-based approach to managing one of the most prevalent and expensive chronic illnesses. The program, which combines pharmacy benefit manager insights and solutions with pharmacist interventions, is designed to ensure that patients follow their medication regimens to achieve optimal health outcomes. Pharmacy Advisor for chronic cardiovascular care initially will focus on improving medication adherence for four conditions: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure.
"Our support of Million Hearts underscores our belief that we can improve health outcomes through innovative ways of delivering care, including public-private partnerships," added Helena Foulkes, EVP and chief healthcare strategy and marketing officer for CVS Caremark. "At CVS Caremark, we are reinventing pharmacy for better health."
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