WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Customers’ well-being and experience are and will be CVS Pharmacy’s primary ambition, says Len Shankman, president of CVS Health’s Pharmacy & Consumer Wellness segment.
He lists three guiding principles for CVS’ 9,000 pharmacies:
• Health care is best delivered locally, in the community.
• It’s best delivered by trusted, caring and tech-enabled colleagues.
• Customers desire freedom to shop and engage in the way that’s most convenient for their busy lives.
CVS also knows that it needs to deliver an experience that feels personal — to the customer and community — and it’s doing that in a variety of ways.
“We are removing barriers with purpose so care fits easily into everyday life,” said chief merchandising officer Musab Balbale. “As a result, we take a digital-first, not digital-only, approach to our offerings and services. That seamless blend of both online and in-person experiences conveniently located near you is something that only CVS Pharmacy can deliver. To do that, our omnichannel experiences enable self-service, optimize convenience and offer flexibility across our front store and pharmacy. The CVS Health app allows patients to manage simple tasks — like refilling prescriptions or checking prescription status — on their own, freeing up our pharmacy teams to focus on clinical work like dispensing medications, administering vaccinations and providing one-on-one care and counsel.”
The company’s digital focus is being sharpened this year with a new joint venture with Google Cloud to transform the health care experience, boost consumer engagement and ultimately improve health outcomes. A core element of the partnership is CVS’ launch of Health100, a technology services subsidiary that will offer an integrated health engagement platform for consumers — no matter which pharmacy provider, insurer, pharmacy benefit manager or digital health tools they use.
The Health100 platform will incorporate agentic AI to deliver a real-time, omnichannel experience that acts as an always‑on personal health partner. Built to help consumers take greater ownership of their health, the platform aims to provide proactive support, expand access to care, offer cost transparency and savings opportunities, and remove the stress of navigating complex health tasks. It will also serve as a direct connection to pharmacist‑led care management.
“Consumer engagement in their own health and care is the holy grail that will drive trust and much better health outcomes,” said Tilak Mandadi, executive vice president of ventures and chief experience and technology officer at CVS. “We are putting the consumer at the center. Google Cloud and AI technologies are core to this platform, which is grounded in responsible AI principles.” Google Cloud chief executive officer Thomas Kurian said. “With Health100, CVS Health is delivering the future of agentic, AI‑powered health care that enhances human touch and eliminates complexity. By applying Google Cloud’s secure infrastructure and Gemini’s multimodal capabilities, CVS Health is creating a proactive and personalized experience unmatched by traditional AI tools.”
At the brick-and-mortar level, CVS stores are integral to a flourishing enterprise that has the goal of reimagining health care. Bucking the trend of retrenchment across the chain drug sector, CVS Pharmacy’s business grew last year, chairman, president and CEO David Joyner said at the company’s Investor Day.
“And now [that] we have a path forward in terms of being able to continue to invest, it will become the gateway to this enterprise,” he said.
Shankman said CVS Pharmacy serves nearly half of the people in the U.S., “and for more than 60 years, we’ve cultivated that local presence … where our customers seek care … have health care simplified and access items they need quickly.” He went on to note how CVS Pharmacy is “supercharging” its local presence and heritage by “seamlessly networking stores virtually, digitally through the CVS Health app and … with other enterprise assets.”
Balbale said whether CVS Pharmacy is offering caring expertise to keep customers healthy or convenient access to their day-to-day needs, “we’re focused on making their day easier by showing up in the small moments that make a big difference,” he said. “We provide pharmacy care and support and health and wellness essentials and also help celebrate life’s moments big and small” with front-end merchandise.
Touching on the synergies of the pharmacy with MinuteClinic, he said if clinic patients receive guidance to use a medication — whether a prescription or over-the-counter product — they have the option to fill the script or buy the product at any pharmacy or retailer they choose. “We work hard to ensure the best experience for our customers in hopes that they choose to do so at CVS Pharmacy,” he said.
“All of our CVS Pharmacy stores — whether they have a MinuteClinic or not — have a robust selection of over-the-counter medications and health and wellness products to support customers who need symptom support when they are sick or if a provider recommends a product. We’re also seeing a shift in how people think about their health, from reactive care to proactive wellness, and are evolving our assortment to meet customers on that journey.”
Over the winter, CVS Pharmacy saw demand for seasonal vaccinations, like flu, COVID-19 and RSV, across its pharmacies. It had ample supply to support patients who chose to get a vaccination to help protect themselves, their family and their community.
A CVS Health survey found that more than three-quarters (77%) of adults trust their local pharmacist, and 84% view pharmacies as credible sources of health care. “Immunizations are an important way our pharmacy teams build trust,” Balbale commented. “Our patients rely on our pharmacy teams to educate them about their options and answer any questions they may have.”
KEY EXECUTIVES
David Joyner, President & CEO
Prem Shah, Group President
Len Shankman, President of Pharmacy and Consumer Wellness
HEADQUARTERS
One CVS Drive, Woonsocket, R.I. 02895
Phone: (401) 765-1500
Website: cvs.com
TRADE CLASS — Drug Chain
Full-year results (12/31/25)
Pharmacy sales — $115.5 billion
Overall sales — $402.1 billion*
Number of stores — 9,000**
Number of pharmacies — 9,000**
Number of states operating — 50, plus D.C.
*Includes PBM and Aetna revenue.
**CDR estimate including pharmacies inside Schnucks supermarkets. CVS also operates retail specialty pharmacies and MinuteClinic sites.
