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WASHINGTON — CVS Caremark's chief healthcare strategy officer on Tuesday outlined how the company's integrated pharmacy-based program for such chronic diseases as diabetes, called Pharmacy Advisor, increased medication adherence rates and physician initiation of prescriptions for concomitant medications to improve patient health.

DANVILLE, Pa. — Geisinger Health System may be the largest employer to discriminate against a declining minority — smokers — beginning Feb. 1.

Geisinger last week announced it will no longer hire job applicants who use tobacco products, including cigarettes, cigars and chewing or smokeless tobacco.

While the need for weight loss is year-round in a country where 1-out-of-every-3 adults is considered obese, the business of weight loss still is seasonal. The first few weeks of January see a spike from the guilt-laden who had over-indulged during much of the holidays. That demand peters off slightly until just before bikini season in the spring. 


NEW YORK — At its annual Analyst Day in New York on Tuesday, CVS Caremark executives outlined strong growth for 2012 and unveiled several new offerings and initiatives that are expected to help drive profitable long-term growth as it works to reinvent pharmacy and focus on its “integration sweet spots.”

PERRYSBURG, Ohio — Glass packaging maker Owens-Illinois has appointed a new SVP and chief commercial officer, O-I said Tuesday.

Tony Gardner, who will lead O-I's global sales, marketing, pricing and product innovation initiatives, brings more than 20 years of business leadership experience to O-I. Prior to his new position, Gardner worked at Accenture for five years, where he worked with many of the world's largest consumer packaged goods companies and their suppliers.

NEW YORK — Ken Finnegan, Walgreens divisional VP healthcare new business development, will assume leadership of the corporate innovation team, Drug Store News has learned.

Finnegan succeeds Colin Watts, corporate VP and chief innovation officer, who is departing Walgreens for Weight Watchers in January. In that capacity, Finnegan will pick up on Watts' efforts to transform the retail pharmacy retail format into more of a destination center for all issues regarding health and wellness.

Since the inception of retail-based health clinics in 2000, the concept has grown to more than 1,300 locations throughout the United States and, in more recent months, has celebrated several significant milestones that prove clinics are not only an integral part of the U.S. healthcare system but also are a viable model for retailers when handled correctly. The real question now: Are we on the brink of clinics version 2.0?


WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark’s MinuteClinic has entered into a clinical affiliation with Emory Healthcare, the largest hospital system in Georgia, to enhance access to healthcare services in communities throughout the Atlanta metropolitan area.

MinuteClinic has 31 clinics inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in metro Atlanta.

PHILADELPHIA — The Fellowship of The College of Physicians of Philadelphia on Friday elected the first nurse practitioner to its ranks: Sandra Ryan, Walgreens' Take Care Health Systems chief nurse practitioner officer and clinical advocate.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Caremark’s MinuteClinic is applauding the patient-centered care delivered by practitioners across the United States and supporting their role in helping to create broader access to quality and affordable health care during National Nurse Practitioner Week that began Nov. 13 and runs through Nov. 19.

BOULDER, Colo. — Celestial Seasonings has introduced an energy shot that combines B vitamins, botanicals and kombucha, a fermented black tea.

Kombucha Energy Shots are packaged in single-serve, 2-fl.-oz. bottles and are available in citrus, berry and Pomegranate Xtreme varieties.

MINNETONKA, Minn. — The UnitedHealth Group’s Diabetes Prevention and Control Alliance is emphasizing its Not Me program — an employer- and community-based initiative aimed at combating the epidemic of Type 2 diabetes, prediabetes and obesity — in line with National Diabetes Month.