Content about Physician

October 12, 2012

When given a choice, patients prefer to receive an electronic prescription if they receive a prescription from their physician, according to the most recent Patient Views infographic. To be specific, 64% of respondents said they would choose an e-prescription when provided an option, according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August. How many patients are actually given a choice as to how they receive their prescription, and how many currently are receiving electronic prescriptions?

When given a choice, patients prefer to receive an electronic prescription if they receive a prescription from their physician, according to the most recent Patient Views infographic. To be specific, 64% of respondents said they would choose an e-prescription when provided an option, according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August. How many patients are actually given a choice as to how they receive their prescription, and how many currently are receiving electronic prescriptions?

October 9, 2012

Building the ACO

New, holistic models for integrated, patient-centered care are emerging from the fog of health reform almost as fast as you can say “accountable care organization.” But pharmacy and retail clinic operators aren’t waiting for ACOs to fully ripen; they’re forging new alliances with hospital-based health systems and building the kind of continuity-of-care networks that could be a template for the new era of evidence-based medicine and improved patient outcomes. 

October 9, 2012

MinuteClinic expands scope of services

On pace to reach about 1,000 clinic locations by 2016 and a robust team of 1,800 nurse practitioners and physician assistants working tirelessly to provide patients convenient access to quality care, MinuteClinic has demonstrated the integral role that it plays not only within CVS Caremark’s healthcare offering but within the entire U.S. healthcare system. 

October 9, 2012

Retail clinics vs. urgent care — it’s a numbers game

A few months ago, I found myself commenting on another website focused on healthcare-related news about the future growth potential for retail clinics versus urgent care centers. Actually, I was on the verge of a full-on debate with some other user, saved only by the grace of a site error. It is an ironic example of how technology can make humans more efficient — even if by mistake. 

October 8, 2012

Crossing the 'retailization' threshold

The U.S. healthcare system's steady migration beyond the exclusive terrain of the physician practices, professional clinics and hospitals — and into the far more accessible and more cost-conscious world of retail pharmacy and health — continues to accelerate. The shift is dramatically expanding access to health services for millions of patients — many of them uninsured or underinsured — and elevating the status of retail clinicians and community pharmacists.

October 4, 2012

2012 CARE Awards: Honoring ‘Unsung Heroes’ in retail-based health care

As the nation works to iron out the ultimate impact of healthcare reform, thousands of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in retail health clinics across the country are already on the front lines working to improve patient lives and expand access to high-quality, affordable healthcare. To recognize the best of the best, DSN Collaborative Care/Retail Clinician magazine — in partnership with the Convenient Care Association — each year hosts the annual Clinician Awards for Retail Excellence (CARE).

As the nation works to iron out the ultimate impact of healthcare reform, thousands of nurse practitioners and physician assistants in retail health clinics across the country are already on the front lines working to improve patient lives and expand access to high-quality, affordable healthcare. To recognize the best of the best, DSN Collaborative Care/Retail Clinician magazine — in partnership with the Convenient Care Association — each year hosts the annual Clinician Awards for Retail Excellence (CARE).

September 25, 2012

A carrot, a stick and closing the space between

A carrot, a stick and a face-to-face encounter. Those are the tools that will chisel away at healthcare costs, noted Wade Miquelon, Walgreens EVP and CFO. And Walgreens is uniquely positioned to help realize those savings.  

To lower costs, you could raise co-pays or premiums to discourage unhealthy behaviors like smoking, poor diet or lack of exercise. That’s the stick. On the other hand, you could waive co-pays or a reduce premiums to help encourage healthy behaviors like regular checkups or disease-state management programs. That’s the carrot.  

September 25, 2012

Health crisis will expand clinic sites, service

When National Association of Chain Drug Stores president and CEO Steve Anderson earlier this year at NACDS Annual urged pharmacy leaders to be “disruptive innovators,” and new NACDS chairman and Walgreens president and CEO Greg Wasson called on the industry to embrace a holistic view of the total store in improving patient lives, they easily could have submitted Walgreens and its Take Care Health Systems subsidiary as an ideal case study. 

September 25, 2012

Helping patients where they live and work

Patients diagnosed with serious disease have enough on their minds. So Walgreens is doing all it can to make it easier for them to obtain, administer and pay for their specialty and infused medicines, said Mike Ellis, VP specialty pharmacy and infusion. 

“The concept is to go where patients are diagnosed and where they reside. We have a large sales force who call on physicians who prescribe these types of medications. But like everything else at Walgreens, it starts with the patient.” 

September 25, 2012

Reinventing community pharmacy

A vast army of some 70,000 Walgreens pharmacists, technicians, nurses and nurse practitioners, and other clinicians is poised to plug some of the gaps in the nation’s overstretched healthcare system with expanded services, greater access for patients and new solutions for providers and payers in desperate need of quality, cost-effective solutions. 

September 19, 2012

Most patients get prescriptions from doctors

People go to doctor offices for a variety of reasons — for annual physicals, for checkups after previous appointments, to figure out why something is acting up or if they just feel sick. Whatever the reasons, most of them walk out of the office with a prescription in hand, according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August.

September 18, 2012

Healthcare reform: All in favor say 'aye!'

The interest in healthcare reform has reached a new high, especially in light of the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, yet there's no denying that consumers are still unclear as to the impact on their personal healthcare and insurance issues. That being said, Americans see a need for change as they battle rising costs and a lack of access to care, and many are saying "aye" to healthcare reform, according to the most recent Patient Views infographic. To be specific, two-thirds of respondents say they support healthcare reform, according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August.

September 18, 2012

MinuteClinic, University of Oklahoma Physicians form clinical collaboration

MinuteClinic and OU Physicians, Oklahoma's largest physician group with more than 560 doctors, have entered into a clinical affiliation to enhance access to healthcare services in Oklahoma.

WOONSOCKET, R.I., and OKLAHOMA CITY— MinuteClinic and OU Physicians, Oklahoma's largest physician group with more than 560 doctors, have entered into a clinical affiliation to enhance access to healthcare services in Oklahoma.

The agreement includes four MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinics inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in Edmond, Moore, Mustang and Norman.

September 18, 2012

Wasson rewind: Advancement of pharmacy by the numbers

There was something that jumped out at me during the one-hour interview with Walgreens president and CEO Greg Wasson that helped set the tone for the massive, 86-page exclusive report on the company that appears in this issue. It had to do with Wasson’s vision for the role of community pharmacy in the future of  health care. 

September 17, 2012

Healthcare-reform supporters show altruism

A lot of people have quite a few things to say about healthcare reform, whether they favor or oppose it. But supporters of the law show an altruistic sensibility and an understanding of how the law would benefit other Americans, according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August.

September 14, 2012

Survey says: My costs will go up!

Costs are the biggest concern for opponents of healthcare reform. They’ve done the math — additional healthcare consumers means care that’s both more expensive and harder to come by. As many as 3-in-4 consumers who are not big fans of healthcare reform share that concern — 30% of those consumers suggested it’s their greatest concern, according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August. A reduction in care quality was concern No. 2 (62%), and a lack of choice over which practitioner to see was concern No. 3 (58%). But at least they’ll still be covered — only 22% said they were concerned their employers would stop the coverage.

Costs are the biggest concern for opponents of healthcare reform. They’ve done the math — additional healthcare consumers means care that’s both more expensive and harder to come by. As many as 3-in-4 consumers who are not big fans of healthcare reform share that concern — 30% of those consumers suggested it’s their greatest concern, according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August. A reduction in care quality was concern No.

September 6, 2012

Study shows rapid growth in cost of physician-dispensed prescriptions versus pharmacies

While regulations meant to control the prices of drugs dispensed through physician offices for injured workers can keep costs down without limiting access, employers in many states may end up paying more than twice what they would have if the workers had gone to a pharmacy instead, according to a new study.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — While regulations meant to control the prices of drugs dispensed through physician offices for injured workers can keep costs down without limiting access, employers in many states may end up paying more than twice what they would have if the workers had gone to a pharmacy instead, according to a new study.

September 4, 2012

Kroger pharmacies, The Little Clinic now offering flu shots

Kroger has announced that it is offering $25 flu shots at more than 1,900 Kroger pharmacy locations nationwide and at The Little Clinic locations inside select stores.

CINCINNATI — Kroger has announced that it is offering $25 flu shots at more than 1,900 Kroger pharmacy locations nationwide and at The Little Clinic locations inside select stores.

Flu shots are available for ages 2 years and older and high-dose flu shots are available for patients ages 65 years and older.

Certified pharmacists, The Little Clinic nurse practitioners or physician assistants administer all flu shots. Kroger pharmacies accept most insurance plans including Medicare.

August 27, 2012

Practicing at 'the top of their profession': are pharmacists able to fully contribute?

The nation’s vast, multi-trillion dollar healthcare industry churns up plenty of statistics — a constant stream of them, in fact. But here’s one that may get your attention: nearly 70% of people in the United States don't have or don't use a primary care physician.

DENVER — The nation's vast, multi-trillion dollar healthcare industry churns up plenty of statistics — a constant stream of them, in fact. But here's one that may get your attention: nearly 70% of people in the United States don't have or don't use a primary care physician.

August 17, 2012

RCEC 2012 upbeat as retail clinics reach tipping point

Call it the Year of the Retail Clinic.  

As the Drug Store News Group and its partners at the Convenient Care Association played host to several hundred in-store based providers in Orlando, Fla., in late July for the fifth annual Retail Clinician Education Congress, several signs began to emerge that the retail clinic model had reached a critical tipping point. Not the least of which is that for the third year in a row, the U.S. Senate had resolved to name the week of Aug. 6 National Convenient Care Week. 

August 16, 2012

Report: Nicotine replacement product sales to reach $6.2 billion worldwide by 2018

Global sales of nicotine replacement products are expected to reach $6.2 billion in 2018, following compound annual growth rates of 4.5% between now and then, GBI Research reported Wednesday.

NEW YORK — Global sales of nicotine replacement products are expected to reach $6.2 billion in 2018, following compound annual growth rates of 4.5% between now and then, GBI Research reported Wednesday.

August 16, 2012

Study: Older patients, preventive services on rise at retail health clinics

Retail-based health clinics are attracting more older patients and delivering more preventive care, particularly flu shots and other vaccinations, according to a new study from the Rand Corp.

NEW YORK — Retail-based health clinics are attracting more older patients and delivering more preventive care, particularly flu shots and other vaccinations, according to a new study from the Rand Corp.

Researchers found that visits to retail medical clinics increased four-fold from 2007 to 2009, with the proportion of patients older than 65 years old growing from 8% to 19% of all visits during this period.

August 6, 2012

Walgreens, Duane Reade and Take Care Clinics offering flu shots on walk-in basis

Walgreens is looking to make getting a flu shot as easy as walking into any Walgreens, Duane Reade and Take Care Clinic by offering flu shots without an appointment.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens is looking to make getting a flu shot as easy as walking into any Walgreens, Duane Reade and Take Care Clinic by offering flu shots without an appointment.

August 6, 2012

Year 2012 proving to be significant year for convenient care industry

At the start of the year, Drug Store News predicted that 2012 would be a significant year for the convenient care industry as retail-based health clinics gear up for expansion and move closer to version 2.0. Well, that prediction is ringing true.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — At the start of the year, Drug Store News predicted that 2012 would be a significant year for the convenient care industry as retail-based health clinics gear up for expansion and move closer to version 2.0. Well, that prediction is ringing true.

(THE NEWS: Mass. lawmakers pass healthcare bill that expands use of limited-service clinics. For the full story, click here)

July 31, 2012

MinuteClinic, American Heart Association collaborate for hypertension management

CVS Caremark’s MinuteClinic has teamed up with the American Heart Association in a nationwide effort to improve the identification, treatment and management of high blood pressure.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark’s MinuteClinic has teamed up with the American Heart Association in a nationwide effort to improve the identification, treatment and management of high blood pressure.

According to the American Heart Association, 1-out-of-3 American adults has high blood pressure or hypertension. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure and kidney failure.