WOONSOCKET, R.I., Sept. 6, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In its continuing
commitment to improve access to affordable health care for all
Americans, CVS Pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Health (NYSE:
CVS), announced the launch of Project Health, the company's annual
free health screening campaign. Over the next four months, 450
Project Health wellness events will deliver more than $5 million worth of free health services in
select CVS Pharmacy locations across 10 multicultural communities
with a large number of uninsured or underinsured Americans.
"Project Health is part of CVS Health's commitment to improve
access to health care and ensure that cost isn't a barrier to
important preventive services," said Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., chief
medical officer of CVS Health. "Our free health screenings can help
identify health concerns or risk factors for participants who may
not have access to care otherwise."
Project Health events, which are held from September 7 through December 17, are open to
everyone and do not require an appointment. Current CVS Pharmacy
locations for the events include:
Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas/Fort
Worth, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, New York
City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., and select
CVS Pharmacy stores in Puerto
Rico.
Given the catastrophic flooding and ongoing recovery efforts in
Houston, all Project Health events
in the area are being postponed. CVS Health is committed to
rescheduling these free health and wellness events to the residents
of Houston when it is safe to do
so and when the community will have greater access to these much
needed services.
Project Health offers an array of free comprehensive health
assessment screenings, including blood pressure, Body Mass Index
(BMI), glucose and total cholesterol screenings, which can help
detect risk for chronic conditions like diabetes, hypertension, and
heart disease. Today, 1 in 2 Americans has at least one chronic
illness with 85 percent of our health care dollars spent each year
caring for Americans with these diseases.1
"These chronic conditions, which can often be life-threatening,
can be treated very effectively when identified early, helping to
improve a patient's health and well-being, as well as reducing
costs for both the patient and the overall health care delivery
system," added Brennan.
Once screened, patients have access to on-site consultations
with bilingual nurse practitioners or physician assistants who will
analyze results and refer patients who require additional medical
care and follow up to no-cost or low-cost medical facilities nearby
or to their primary care physician.
Since it was established in 2006, Project Health has delivered
more than $117 million in free health
care services to more than 887,000 people, many of whom lack access
to preventive care. Last year, high rates of specific treatable
conditions among Project Health participants were detected,
including:
- 49 percent were found to be overweight or obese
- 39 percent had abnormal blood pressure readings
- 31 percent had abnormal glucose readings
- 38 percent were found to have abnormal cholesterol levels
CVS Health will be partnering with YMCAs in Houston, Atlanta and Los
Angeles this year to encourage their members to participate
in Project Health screenings in these markets.
"As a leading community-based organization dedicated to
improving the nation's health, the Y shares CVS Health's goal to
deliver preventive care, like screenings, in places where access is
a barrier," said Kevin Washington,
President and CEO, YMCA of the USA. "Taking health care out of clinical
settings and putting it into our neighborhoods can save lives,
reduce costs and make our communities stronger."
Project Health events will be held from 2
p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
at select CVS Pharmacy locations. For a full calendar of Project
Health events, visit www.cvs.com/projecthealth (in
Spanish: www.cvs.com/proyectosalud).
About CVS Pharmacy
CVS Pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), is
America's leading retail pharmacy with over 9,700 locations. It is
the first national pharmacy to end the sale of tobacco and the
first pharmacy in the nation to receive the Community Pharmacy
accreditation from URAC, the leading health care accreditation
organization that establishes quality standards for the health care
industry. CVS Pharmacy is reinventing pharmacy to help people on
their path to better health by providing the most accessible and
personalized expertise, both in its stores and online at CVS.com.
General information about CVS Pharmacy and CVS Health is available
at www.cvshealth.com.
1 Centers for Disease Control. Chronic Disease
Overview. Retrieved from
https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/overview/
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mary Gattuso
Mary.Gattuso@CVSHealth.com
1-401-770-9811
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SOURCE CVS Pharmacy