CVS Health's Moriarty: Pharmacy is 'front line’ of healthcare strategy
Pharmacists are at the front line of CVS Health's strategy with its newly combined company Aetna, said Tom Moriarty, the company’s chief policy and external affairs officer and general counsel. His comments were part of a conversation with Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. at the 22nd Annual Wall Street Project Economic Summit.
Through the introduction of HealthHUB locations at CVS Pharmacy stores in Houston, Moriarty said, "We have the opportunity to serve as an extension to primary care. With personalized pharmacy support programs and MinuteClinic services, the HealthHUB pilot is improving care for patients managing chronic conditions with a focus on recommending next best actions and driving medical costs savings."
Moriarty shared several examples of how the HealthHUB pilot will provide meaningful and frequent touchpoints to care. “For a patient living with diabetes, we can be there more frequently to provide counsel on lifestyle and dietary needs. In the case of respiratory disease, a respiratory therapist will be on-site to help patients track their conditions and provide them with personalized counsel. These interactions will help coordinate care across a patients’ full care teams,” he said.
Moriarty also said, "About 80% of current medical spend is on chronic conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. At the same time, the number of Americans impacted by these conditions continues to grow … Our newly combined company will deliver a unified strategy aimed at making a measurable impact on the health of communities nationwide. Through our 'Building Healthier Communities' initiative, CVS Health will make significant investments in the areas of managing chronic disease, including the expansion of Project Health to provide more screenings for the social determinants of health that affect personal well-being and the broader community, such as education, housing and access to fresh food."
Through the introduction of HealthHUB locations at CVS Pharmacy stores in Houston, Moriarty said, "We have the opportunity to serve as an extension to primary care. With personalized pharmacy support programs and MinuteClinic services, the HealthHUB pilot is improving care for patients managing chronic conditions with a focus on recommending next best actions and driving medical costs savings."
Moriarty shared several examples of how the HealthHUB pilot will provide meaningful and frequent touchpoints to care. “For a patient living with diabetes, we can be there more frequently to provide counsel on lifestyle and dietary needs. In the case of respiratory disease, a respiratory therapist will be on-site to help patients track their conditions and provide them with personalized counsel. These interactions will help coordinate care across a patients’ full care teams,” he said.
Moriarty also said, "About 80% of current medical spend is on chronic conditions, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. At the same time, the number of Americans impacted by these conditions continues to grow … Our newly combined company will deliver a unified strategy aimed at making a measurable impact on the health of communities nationwide. Through our 'Building Healthier Communities' initiative, CVS Health will make significant investments in the areas of managing chronic disease, including the expansion of Project Health to provide more screenings for the social determinants of health that affect personal well-being and the broader community, such as education, housing and access to fresh food."