WOONSOCKET, R.I. — MinuteClinic has formed a clinical affiliation with Lifespan, Rhode Island’s largest health system, and plans to add seven new clinics in the state.
The CVS Health retail clinic subsidiary said Monday that the new Rhode Island clinics are slated to open this fall and next year in Cranston, East Greenwich, North Smithfield, Providence, Wakefield, Westerly and Woonsocket.
The clinics will be staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants who provide treatment for common family illnesses and administer wellness and prevention services, including health-condition monitoring for patients with chronic diseases.
The collaboration will foster interaction between Lifespan and MinuteClinic providers to improve coordination and access to care for patients seen at MinuteClinic locations. Plans call for both organizations to integrate their electronic medical records (EMRs) to further promote exchange of clinical information. For patients who do not have regular access to primary care, MinuteClinic provides assistance in finding a primary care physician.
Both MinuteClinic and Lifespan will eventually use the Epic EMR to streamline communication around all aspects of each patient’s care, MinuteClinic noted. MinuteClinic will electronically share medical histories and visit summaries with the patient’s primary care provider at Lifespan. MinuteClinic will also send patient visit summaries to primary care providers not affiliated with Lifespan via fax or mail. In addition, MinuteClinic will participate in Current Care, Rhode Island’s health information exchange.
"As we have experienced in other states, including Massachusetts and Connecticut, MinuteClinic can support the primary care model in Rhode Island by helping to improve access to care, particularly on weekends and evenings when primary care providers may not be available," MinuteClinic president Andrew Sussman, who’s also senior vice president and associate chief medical officer at CVS Health, said in a statement. "Through our convenient locations, we’re pleased that the state’s largest health care system has agreed to affiliate with MinuteClinic to increase access and convenience for patients seeking care."
Founded in 1994 by Rhode Island Hospital and The Miriam Hospital, Lifespan is an integrated, academic health system affiliated with The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Lifespan’s partners also include Rhode Island Hospital’s pediatric facility, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, as well as Bradley Hospital and Newport Hospital. It includes a network of 1,842 affiliated doctors throughout the state.
"We’re pleased to collaborate with MinuteClinic to improve access and coordination of care for patients seen at clinic locations," stated John Murphy, executive vice president of physician affairs at Lifespan. "We will continue to work with MinuteClinic and with our other physician partners to ensure the appropriate level of care is provided in a timely manner to all patients in our community."
MinuteClinic operates more than 900 walk-in medical clinics and has clinical affiliations with over 40 major health systems and health care providers nationwide.
