MinuteClinic (stylized as minute clinic) is a division of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), the largest pharmacy health care provider in the United States. MinuteClinic was initially started as QuickMedx by Dr. Douglas Smith and his patient Rick Krieger, along with Stephen Pontius in Minneapolis, MN. This was the first of the "Retail Clinics" in the United States.
MinuteClinic launched the first walk-in clinic in the country in 2000, and is the largest provider of retail clinics with more than 1,100 locations in 33 states and the District of Columbia. Nationally, the company has cared for more than 20 million patients, with a 95% customer satisfaction rating.
MinuteClinic is the first retail health care provider to receive three consecutive accreditations from The Joint Commission (2006, 2009, and 2012), the national evaluation and certifying agency for nearly 19,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.
Services and hours
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MinuteClinics are staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants who specialize in family health care, and are trained to diagnose, treat, and write prescriptions for minor acute illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder, and lung infections. Vaccinations, such as influenza, tetanus-pertussis, pneumovax, and Hepatitis A & B are available at all locations. Services offered by MinuteClinics include sports and camp physicals, smoking cessation, and TB testing. Routine lab tests, instant results, and education are available for those with diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or asthma.
MinuteClinics are located inside CVS/pharmacy stores and some Target stores, and are open seven days a week, including evenings and weekends. No appointments are needed. MinuteClinic accepts most insurance plans.
Locations
The following states have MinuteClinic locations:
Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Washington DC
Criticism
MinuteClinics, like other convenience care clinics, replace visits patients might otherwise have with their primary care provider, limiting the opportunities for a PCP to develop that relationship, potentially fragmenting the patient's health care. Furthermore, the clinics do not have the patient's medical record, and do not know the patient's medical history, e.g., a swollen knee, if it is part of a pattern, might be a sign of arthritis. The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended that parents not use retail-based clinics for their children.
However, MinuteClinics are now providing primary care, as well as management of some chronic diseases such as diabetes, pulmonary diseases, and hypertension in many states. The expansion of primary care services is in conjunction with the growing need for primary care providers across the country.
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