MinuteClinic Health Care Centers Provide Quality and Convenience Close to Home and the Workplace WAYNE, N.J., Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Quick, convenient, quality medical care has come to Northern New Jersey at nine MinuteClinic health care centers now open in Bergen, Morris, Middlesex, Monmouth and Passaic counties. MinuteClinic health care centers are staffed by board-certified nurse practitioners who specialize in Family Medicine and are trained to diagnose, treat and write prescriptions (when clinically appropriate) for common family illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections. MinuteClinic also offers common vaccinations, such as flu shots, tetanus, MMR, and Hepatitis A & B. MinuteClinic health care centers are open Mon.-Fri. from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sat. and Sun. from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and are inside the following CVS/pharmacy stores throughout Northern New Jersey: -- Chester, CVS/pharmacy - 183 Route 206 South -- Denville, CVS/pharmacy - 276 Main Street -- Marlboro, CVS/pharmacy - 4 Ryan Road -- New Milford, CVS/pharmacy - Brookchester Shopping Center (880 River Road) -- North Brunswick, CVS/ Pharmacy - 2257 US Highway 1 -- Old Bridge, CVS/pharmacy - 2988 Route 516 -- Wayne, CVS/pharmacy - 2440 Hamburg Turnpike -- Whippany, CVS/pharmacy - 831-1 Route 10 -- Wyckoff, CVS/pharmacy- 303 Franklin Avenue An additional MinuteClinic health care center will open in Manalapan later this month. MinuteClinic, a subsidiary of CVS Corporation, is the pioneer and largest provider of retail health care in the United States with 117 health care centers in 17 states. In addition to Northern New Jersey, MinuteClinic health care centers are located in the following metro areas: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Charlotte, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Hartford, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix, Providence, Raleigh-Durham, Seattle, Stamford, and the Maryland area suburbs of the Nation's Capital. Because examinations typically take 10-15 minutes and no appointment is necessary, MinuteClinic is an ideal solution for professionals and working parents who cannot afford time away from the workplace. "MinuteClinic health care centers are an answer to consumers' overwhelming demand for more patient-centric health care," said Michael Howe, chief executive officer for MinuteClinic. "As more patients look to take control of their health care options, we provide a high-quality, convenient and affordable service for common maladies that is available seven days a week." MinuteClinic is working closely with the larger insurance carriers in New Jersey to be a participating provider in their networks. For patients who are a member of Aetna (PPO), Beech Street, CBSA, ChoiceCare Network (PPO), First Health Direct, Great-West Healthcare, Humana (PPO only), Medicare, TRICARE Standard, and Wausau, MinuteClinic will accept as payment the office visit co-pay indicated on their insurance card. For patients paying cash or credit, treatment prices are posted outside each health care center. Most treatments cost $59. "MinuteClinic offers customers convenient, high-quality health care services and is a natural extension of our mission to be the easiest pharmacy retailer for customers to use," said Chris Bodine, executive vice president for merchandising at CVS/pharmacy. "Along with its reputation for high-quality health care, MinuteClinic has proven its ability to work collaboratively with physicians in the prompt diagnosis and treatment of patients." To ensure quality and personal attention for patients, MinuteClinic health care centers are staffed by nurse practitioners who are Registered Nurses (RNs) with college degrees and have two additional years of graduate-level training in family practice medicine. Nurse practitioners work in collaboration with physicians and may prescribe medication when clinically appropriate. Donna Jeskey, nurse practitioner and manager of operations, oversees MinuteClinic locations in Northern New Jersey. MinuteClinic practitioners use a software program that at the conclusion of each visit generates educational material, an invoice and a prescription for the patient, as well as a diagnostic record that is automatically sent to the patient's primary care provider's office. A collaborating physician is on call during all hours of operation. "Every MinuteClinic patient assessment and treatment follows nationally established clinical practice guidelines from the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Academy of Pediatrics that are embedded in our electronic medical records system," said James Woodburn, M.D., chief medical officer for MinuteClinic. Individuals with illnesses outside MinuteClinic's scope of services or who exhibit signs of a chronic condition are referred to their physician or, if critical, the nearest urgent care or emergency room. Patients who can't be treated are not charged for their visit. MinuteClinic health care centers only serve patients over the age of 18 months. "Our services are a complement to primary care providers," Woodburn explains, "and our nurse practitioners make it a point to stress the importance of a regular medical exam with every patient they see. If the individual doesn't have a medical home, we provide a list of physicians in the area who are accepting new patients." Treatments: (most services cost $59 or an insurance co-pay) Common Illnesses -Allergies (ages 6+) $59 -Pink Eye & Styes $59 -Bladder Infections (Female, ages 12-65) $69 -Bronchitis (ages 10-65) $59 -Ear Infections $59 -Sinus Infections (ages 5+) $59 -Strep Throat $69 (additional lab charges may apply) -Swimmer's Ear $59 Additional Treatments -Flu Diagnosis (ages 10-65) $93 -Mononucleosis $69 -Pregnancy Testing $49 Skin Conditions -Athlete's Foot $59 -Cold Sores $59 -Deer Tick Bites (ages 12+) $59 -Impetigo $59 -Minor Burns $59 -Minor Skin Infections & Rashes $59 -Minor Sunburn $59 -Poison Ivy (ages 3+) $59 -Ringworm $59 -Wart Removal $69 Vaccines: (Prices vary; vaccines generally have a $0 co-pay for most insurance plans) - DTaP (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis) $65 - Flu (Oct-Dec) $30 - Hepatitis A (adult) $85 - Hepatitis A (child) $54 - Hepatitis B (adult) $65 - Hepatitis B (child) $50 - Meningitis $110 - MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) $65 - Pneumonia (Oct-Dec) $30 - Polio (IPV) $80 - Td (Tetanus, Diphtheria) $45 About MinuteClinic Minneapolis-based MinuteClinic is a subsidiary of CVS Corporation (NYSE: CVS), the leader in America's retail pharmacy industry with more than 40 years of dynamic growth. 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 more than 115 locations across the country. By creating a health care delivery model that responds to consumer demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. The company has generated nearly 600,000 patient visits with a 99 percent 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 by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). MinuteClinic is the first and only retail health care provider to receive accreditation from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO), the national evaluation and certifying agency for nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. For more information, visit http://www.minuteclinic.com/. MinuteClinic health care centers in New Jersey are operated by MinuteClinic Diagnostic of New Jersey, LLC DATASOURCE: MinuteClinic CONTACT: Brent Burkhardt, +1-410-986-1303, , or Nicole Atkinson, +1-410-986-1317, , both of TBC Public Relations for MinuteClinic Web Site: http://www.minuteclinic.com/

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