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- MinuteClinic launches health condition monitoring ... - News-Medical.Net
- MinuteClinic Offers New Health Condition Monitoring ... - MSN Money
- Why have asthma medications increase in cost in the ... - HealthCentral.com
- Social factors influence neighbourhood asthma rates - The Province
| MinuteClinic launches health condition monitoring ... - News-Medical.Net Posted: 02 Apr 2010 03:05 AM PDT MinuteClinic, the largest provider of retail-based medical clinics in the United States, has introduced a series of convenient health condition monitoring services to help patients previously diagnosed with diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol and high blood pressure overcome the challenges of living with their conditions. Health condition monitoring is available at MinuteClinic locations in CVS/pharmacy stores in 20 states and the District of Columbia. MinuteClinic is the retail health care division of CVS Caremark ( CVS). The new monitoring services, called Monitoring Made Easy™, are performed by MinuteClinic nurse practitioners and physician assistants. They are designed to support patients with ongoing health conditions in between visits to their primary care provider or to provide assistance to patients who may not receive regular care. MinuteClinic will send all health care monitoring results to a primary care provider with patient permission. Visit summaries are sent via electronic medical record or fax, typically within 24 hours. In addition, MinuteClinic practitioners will help patients locate a primary care provider in the community if they do not have one. A collaborating physician (medical director) is on call during MinuteClinic operating hours. "There are millions of Americans who are overwhelmed by the difficulties associated with caring for their diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol and high blood pressure," said Andrew Sussman, M.D., President, MinuteClinic and Senior Vice President/Associate Chief Medical Officer, CVS Caremark. "These patients must navigate the health care system on their own and often face enormous time and cost commitments that can sometimes keep them from getting the care they need. "By providing health condition monitoring at MinuteClinic, our goal is to be a convenient and affordable resource where patients can not only receive an exam and regular lab tests, but also spend meaningful time with a practitioner to obtain advice and have questions about their condition and medication answered." Monitoring Made Easy services at MinuteClinic are available seven days a week, including weekday evening hours; no appointment is necessary. When providing health condition monitoring services, MinuteClinic practitioners review the individual's medical history and perform an exam and tests based on nationally established clinical practice guidelines for standards of care, which may include an A1c test and comprehensive foot exam for diabetes, breathing and oxygen level testing for asthma, a lipid profile for high cholesterol and a blood pressure check and microalbumin test for high blood pressure. "We know from our own research and from independent studies conducted by the Rand Corporation, that as many as 60 percent of patients visiting our clinics are without a primary care provider," said Sussman. "So our practitioners are in a unique position to help patients identify a primary care provider and create a path of care that includes monitoring at MinuteClinic to stay on top of their condition." Most health insurance plans cover MinuteClinic health condition monitoring services. Patients are advised to contact their insurance company to verify coverage prior to their visit. Self-pay visits start at $62. Patients are informed of additional lab charges at the time of visit. A series of blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and weight evaluation screening services are also provided by MinuteClinic to patients who have not been previously diagnosed with a condition but want to determine if they are at-risk. In addition to offering monitoring and screening services, MinuteClinic practitioners are trained to diagnose, treat and write prescriptions for common family illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections. Minor wounds, abrasions and joint sprains are treated, and common vaccinations such as influenza, tetanus, pneumovax, and Hepatitis A & B are available at all locations. SOURCE MinuteClinic Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| MinuteClinic Offers New Health Condition Monitoring ... - MSN Money Posted: 01 Apr 2010 04:53 AM PDT WOONSOCKET, R.I., April 1 /PRNewswire/ -- MinuteClinic, the largest provider of retail-based medical clinics in the United States, has introduced a series of convenient health condition monitoring services to help patients previously diagnosed with diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol and high blood pressure overcome the challenges of living with their conditions. Health condition monitoring is available at MinuteClinic locations in CVS/pharmacy stores in 20 states and the District of Columbia. MinuteClinic is the retail health care division of CVS Caremark CVS. The new monitoring services, called Monitoring Made Easy™, are performed by MinuteClinic nurse practitioners and physician assistants. They are designed to support patients with ongoing health conditions in between visits to their primary care provider or to provide assistance to patients who may not receive regular care. MinuteClinic will send all health care monitoring results to a primary care provider with patient permission. Visit summaries are sent via electronic medical record or fax, typically within 24 hours. In addition, MinuteClinic practitioners will help patients locate a primary care provider in the community if they do not have one. A collaborating physician (medical director) is on call during MinuteClinic operating hours. "There are millions of Americans who are overwhelmed by the difficulties associated with caring for their diabetes, asthma, high cholesterol and high blood pressure," said Andrew Sussman, M.D., President, MinuteClinic and Senior Vice President/Associate Chief Medical Officer, CVS Caremark. "These patients must navigate the health care system on their own and often face enormous time and cost commitments that can sometimes keep them from getting the care they need. "By providing health condition monitoring at MinuteClinic, our goal is to be a convenient and affordable resource where patients can not only receive an exam and regular lab tests, but also spend meaningful time with a practitioner to obtain advice and have questions about their condition and medication answered." Monitoring Made Easy services at MinuteClinic are available seven days a week, including weekday evening hours; no appointment is necessary. When providing health condition monitoring services, MinuteClinic practitioners review the individual's medical history and perform an exam and tests based on nationally established clinical practice guidelines for standards of care, which may include an A1c test and comprehensive foot exam for diabetes, breathing and oxygen level testing for asthma, a lipid profile for high cholesterol and a blood pressure check and microalbumin test for high blood pressure. "We know from our own research and from independent studies conducted by the Rand Corporation, that as many as 60 percent of patients visiting our clinics are without a primary care provider," said Sussman. "So our practitioners are in a unique position to help patients identify a primary care provider and create a path of care that includes monitoring at MinuteClinic to stay on top of their condition." Most health insurance plans cover MinuteClinic health condition monitoring services. Patients are advised to contact their insurance company to verify coverage prior to their visit. Self-pay visits start at $62. Patients are informed of additional lab charges at the time of visit. A series of blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and weight evaluation screening services are also provided by MinuteClinic to patients who have not been previously diagnosed with a condition but want to determine if they are at-risk. In addition to offering monitoring and screening services, MinuteClinic practitioners are trained to diagnose, treat and write prescriptions for common family illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections. Minor wounds, abrasions and joint sprains are treated, and common vaccinations such as influenza, tetanus, pneumovax, and Hepatitis A & B are available at all locations. About MinuteClinic MinuteClinic is a division of CVS Caremark Corporation CVS, the largest pharmacy health care provider in the United States. MinuteClinic launched the first retail health care centers in the United States in 2000 and is the first provider to establish a national presence, with approximately 500 locations in 25 states and the District of Columbia. By creating a health care delivery model that responds to consumer demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. Nationally, the company has generated more than six million patient visits, with a 95% customer satisfaction rating. A recognized leader in the patient-centric health care movement, MinuteClinic consistently brings innovation to the marketplace and sets new standards for clinical quality that exceed the national guidelines established for store-based clinics. MinuteClinic is the first retail health care provider to receive accreditation (2006) and reaccreditation (2009) from The Joint Commission, the national evaluation and certifying agency for nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. For more information, visit www.MinuteClinic.com. SOURCE MinuteClinic Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Why have asthma medications increase in cost in the ... - HealthCentral.com Posted: 02 Apr 2010 06:54 AM PDT
By using this service, you accept our Terms of Use. Please read them. The consumer health information on is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for any medical conditions. You should promptly seek professional medical care if you have any concern about your health, and you should always consult your physician before starting a fitness regimen. Copyright © 2005-2010. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. All rights reserved. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Social factors influence neighbourhood asthma rates - The Province Posted: 01 Apr 2010 09:07 PM PDT NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Childhood asthma is less common in neighbourhoods with high economic potential and strong community vitality, new research shows. "It's nice to be able to look at some positive characteristics of neighbourhoods that may protect against asthma," Dr. Ruchi S. Gupta, of Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, one of the researchers on the study, told Reuters Health. "We're always looking at negative characteristics." While the role of economic and environmental factors in childhood asthma have been studied extensively, there has been very little investigation of how social factors might influence the prevalence of the disease, Gupta and her associates note in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. They previously demonstrated sharp differences in asthma prevalence among Chicago neighbourhoods and in the current study looked at whether community characteristics might explain these differences. The researchers analyzed asthma screening surveys of 45,177 children attending Chicago public schools conducted between 2003 and 2005, and then mapped all of the children into 287 different neighbourhoods. They ranked the neighbourhoods in four groups based on asthma cases. They found that neighbourhoods with low asthma prevalence had higher scores on the Community Vitality Index, which combines ratings for social capital, economic potential, and community amenities. They also had higher economic potential. The strongest factor, which remained after the researchers adjusted for the racial makeup of the neighbourhoods, was social capital, which measures the degree of civic engagement among residents along with other factors. The findings point to policy changes at the community level that could help reduce asthma prevalence, Gupta said. "It's not like you're going to be able to go in and give everyone a job, but you can empower people to make positive changes in their neighbourhoods," she explained. The researchers also found, surprisingly, that more stable communities and those that scored higher on measures of neighbourhood interaction had a higher prevalence of asthma. Gupta noted that the neighbourhood interaction score was based in part on having a higher percentage of households with at least one member who was not working, as well as a lower percentage of single-person households. "Although one can understand how these factors may lead to increased interaction, they may also signify crowding and poverty," the investigators point out. And the less-frequent household turnover in more stable households may mean that thorough cleanings occur less often, giving mold and cockroaches a better opportunity to take hold. SOURCE: Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, June 2009. Five Filters featured article: Chilcot Inquiry. Available tools: PDF Newspaper, Full Text RSS, Term Extraction. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
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