CVS Health’s MinuteClinic Introduces New Virtual Care Offering (2024)

MinuteClinic Video Visits now available through the CVS Pharmacy App

New telehealth service will provide patients access to care 24 hours a day, seven days a week

WOONSOCKET, R.I., Aug. 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Health (NYSE: CVS) today announced that MinuteClinic, the company's retail medical clinic, is rolling out a new virtual health care offering for patients with minor illnesses and injuries, skin conditions and other wellness needs. MinuteClinic Video Visits, a telehealth offering, will provide patients with access to health care services 24 hours a day, seven days a week from their mobile device.

"We're excited to be able to bring this innovative care option to patients," said Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of CVS Health. "At CVS Health, we're committed to delivering high-quality care when and where our patients need it and at prices they can afford. Through this new telehealth offering, patients now have an additional option for seeking care that is even more convenient for them."

MinuteClinic has been testing telehealth as a method of increasing access to care in recent years. During the initial phase of testing, a CVS Health study found that 95 percent of patients who opted to receive a telehealth visit were highly satisfied with the quality of care they received.Polinski, J. M., Barker, T., Gagliano, N., Sussman, A., Brennan, T. A., & Shrank, W. H. (2016). Patients' Satisfaction with and Preference for Telehealth Visits. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 31(3), 269 275. http://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-015-3489-x In the same study, 95 percent of patients were satisfied with the convenience of using the telehealth service and the overall telehealth experience. Those results led the company to develop the expanded virtual care offering being launched today.

Working collaboratively with Teladoc (NYSE: TDOC), the global leader in virtual care, and leveraging Teladoc's technology platform, patients can receive care via a MinuteClinic Video Visit, initiated through the CVS Pharmacy app. Patients who opt to seek care through a fully customized MinuteClinic Video Visit experience the same high-quality, evidence-based care they receive at traditional MinuteClinic locations inside select CVS Pharmacy and Target stores.

A video visit can be used to care for patients ages two years and up who are seeking treatment for a minor illness, minor injury, or a skin condition. Each patient will complete a health questionnaire, then be matched to a board-certified health care provider licensed in their state, who will review the completed questionnaire with the patient's medical history, and proceed with the video-enabled visit.

"As we continue to move the capabilities of virtual care forward, this is an exciting advancement," said Jason Gorevic, CEO, Teladoc. "CVS Health's expansion of their health care model to include video visits brings even more care delivery options to patients and Teladoc is proud to work with them on this offering."

During a MinuteClinic Video Visit, the provider will assess the patient's condition and determine the appropriate course of treatment following evidence-based clinical care guidelines. For patients who require a prescription as part of their treatment plan, the provider will submit the prescription to the patient's preferred pharmacy. If it is determined the patient should be seen in person for follow-up care or testing, the provider will recommend that the patient visit a health care provider in their community, such as their primary care provider or a nearby MinuteClinic.

A MinuteClinic Video Visit costs $59, which is currently payable by credit card or debit card. Insurance coverage will be added to the experience in the coming months. The service is currently available in nine states Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire and Virginia and Washington D.C. and is expected to be available nationwide, where allowed, by the end of 2018.

About CVS Health

CVS Health is a pharmacy innovation company helping people on their path to better health. Through its more than 9,800 retail locations, more than 1,100 walk-in medical clinics, a leading pharmacy benefits manager with approximately 94 million plan members, a dedicated senior pharmacy care business serving more than one million patients per year, expanding specialty pharmacy services, and a leading stand-alone Medicare Part D prescription drug plan, the company enables people, businesses and communities to manage health in more affordable and effective ways. This unique integrated model increases access to quality care, delivers better health outcomes and lowers overall health care costs. Find more information about how CVS Health is shaping the future of health at https://www.cvshealth.com.

Media Contacts

Erin Pensa
CVS Health
401-770-4786
Erin.Pensa@cvshealth.com

Amy Lanctot
CVS Health
401-770-2931
Amy.Lanctot@cvshealth.com

SOURCE CVS Health

CVS Health’s MinuteClinic Introduces New Virtual Care Offering (2024)

FAQs

CVS Health’s MinuteClinic Introduces New Virtual Care Offering? ›

MinuteClinic Video Visits, a telehealth offering, will provide patients with access to health care services 24 hours a day, seven days a week from their mobile device. "We're excited to be able to bring this innovative care option to patients," said Troyen A.

What is the difference between telehealth and virtual care? ›

Virtual care includes not only telehealth services but also other forms of digital healthcare, such as online appointments, remote patient monitoring, and virtual visits with doctors or other healthcare providers. Virtual health encompasses all things in Telehealth and Digital Health.

What is virtual clinical care? ›

Telemedicine, which falls under virtual healthcare, includes delivering clinical services between the patient and the healthcare provider remotely. Alternatively, telehealth describes other related remote services, such as administration, ongoing medical education and training for healthcare providers. 2.

What does virtual visit mean in healthcare? ›

Telehealth, or virtual visits is helping make access to health care more convenient. People can see and talk to a doctor through their smartphone, tablet or computer, meaning they don't have to go to a doctor's office or sit in a waiting room.

When did CVS acquire MinuteClinic? ›

MinuteClinic was acquired by CVS in July 2006. March 2000 (as QuickMedx, Inc.) Woonsocket, Rhode Island, U.S. MinuteClinic is the first retail health care provider to receive an accreditation from The Joint Commission.

Is virtual care more expensive? ›

A virtual telehealth appointment typically costs around $40 to $50, while in-person care can cost as much as $176 per visit [4]. Telephone follow-up visits can offer a more efficient option than office-based visits that is acceptable and affordable to patients [5].

Why is virtual care better? ›

Comfort and Convenience

With telemedicine, you don't have to drive to the doctor's office or clinic, park, walk or sit in a waiting room when you're sick. You can see your doctor from the comfort of your own bed or sofa. Virtual visits can be easier to fit into your busy schedule.

What is the difference between a virtual visit and an e-consult? ›

Key Differences

Telehealth often involves more extensive integration of technology, such as electronic health records and remote monitoring devices, to facilitate comprehensive care delivery. In contrast, virtual visits are more streamlined, with a primary focus on providing immediate medical consultations remotely.

What does it mean when a patient is virtual? ›

The term virtual patient is used to describe interactive computer simulations used in health care education to train students on clinical processes such as making diagnoses and therapeutic decisions.

What types of visits are appropriate for telehealth? ›

5 types of visits appropriate for telehealth
  • Review your personal or family health history.
  • Collect information about your current: Providers; Care and treatment plans; Prescriptions.
  • Provide personalized advice for ongoing conditions (e.g., acne or trouble sleeping)
  • Schedule additional tests or preventative screenings.
Apr 4, 2023

Is CVS owned by Aetna? ›

CVS Health-owned Aetna on Monday rolled out a plan design that would steer patients toward its parent company's brick-and-mortar locations — a key concern of antitrust regulators in reviewing the almost $69 billion megamerger that closed in 2019.

What did CVS used to be called? ›

CVS Pharmacy used to be a subsidiary of Melville Corporation, where its full name was initially Consumer Value Stores. Melville changed its name to CVS Corporation in 1996 after Melville sold off many of its nonpharmacy stores. The last of its nondrugstore operations were sold in 1997.

Does Target own CVS? ›

Minneapolis-based Target sold its in-store pharmacies to CVS in 2015 for $1.9 billion, one of several big moves CEO Brian Cornell made after taking control the previous year.

What are the three types of telehealth? ›

The 3 types of telemedicine services are synchronous, asynchronous, and remote monitoring. Synchronous refers to the delivery of health information in real time. This allows for a live discussion with the patient or provider to deliver medical expertise.

What is the difference between digital and telehealth? ›

While telemedicine primarily focuses on providing remote medical care, digital health emphasizes engaging patients in their care.

What is the difference between telehealth and zoom? ›

Zoom's video conferencing tool is not enough to set up quality telemedicine appointments. Telemedicine services require a full-featured, comprehensive system to cover each stage of the patient's virtual care experience — from intake to post-visit treatment.

Does telehealth mean video or phone? ›

You can have a telehealth visit online using your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Telehealth care allows you to: Talk with your health care provider on the phone or using video. Send messages with your health care provider safely.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Golda Nolan II

Last Updated:

Views: 6498

Rating: 4.8 / 5 (58 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Golda Nolan II

Birthday: 1998-05-14

Address: Suite 369 9754 Roberts Pines, West Benitaburgh, NM 69180-7958

Phone: +522993866487

Job: Sales Executive

Hobby: Worldbuilding, Shopping, Quilting, Cooking, Homebrewing, Leather crafting, Pet

Introduction: My name is Golda Nolan II, I am a thoughtful, clever, cute, jolly, brave, powerful, splendid person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.