WOONSOCKET, R.I., Oct. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- As Hurricane Matthew
nears the coast of Florida and the
Southeast, CVS Pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Health (NYSE:
CVS), is reminding patients to make sure they have taken care of
their prescription needs before the storm hits. In addition, CVS
Pharmacy is moving generators into these areas and stocking stores
with emergency items, such as bottled water, batteries, flashlights
and first aid supplies.
"In light of the weather advisories and evacuation orders now in
effect in Florida, Georgia and South
Carolina, CVS Pharmacy is working hard to ensure that our
customers have the medications they need to ride out the storm
safely," said Kevin Hourican,
Executive Vice President, Retail Pharmacy and Supply Chain for CVS
Health. "To help facilitate this, we have been working with
insurers to allow for early refills in certain cases and since the
storm warnings have begun, we have been reaching out to our
pharmacy patients via text message and email where possible to
remind them to refill prescriptions in advance of the
hurricane."
Patients who live in areas that are expected to be affected by
the storm, and who have opted in to CVS Pharmacy's automated
notification programs, may receive automated phone calls, text
messages, and mobile app notifications, depending on the status of
their current prescriptions. These messages can help patients in
several ways, including letting them know when their prescription
is ready to be picked up, reminding them that their prescription is
ready to be refilled, and informing patients where they can pick up
their medications during emergency situations such as Hurricane
Matthew.
"In addition, through CVS Caremark, our pharmacy benefit
management company, we have activated a process that allows us to
provide one-time emergency refills of a 10-day supply of medication
for plan members impacted in the areas affected by Hurricane
Matthew," Hourican added.
When preparing for a hurricane, CVS Pharmacy offers customers
the following tips:
- Create a plan for evacuating and finding a safe
destination.
- Store all of your medications, along with a written record of
your current prescriptions, in a waterproof container and keep it
with you at all times. This is especially important if you take
multiple prescriptions. Medical equipment, batteries or power
cords, eyeglasses and hearing aids are important to keep with you
as well.
- In the event of an emergency when you are away from home, find
a pharmacy nearby to fill necessary prescriptions. CVS Pharmacy can
fill its customers' prescriptions at any of its 9,600 locations
nationwide, including CVS Pharmacy inside Target locations.
- Create an emergency kit before the storm hits and make sure you
have all essentials in case of power outages. Your local CVS
Pharmacy carries all of the critical items needed including bottled
water, masking tape, flashlights and batteries.
- For a full list of tips on being prepared for a hurricane,
visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency's website,
https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.
To find a CVS Pharmacy near you, visit the store locator
at http://www.cvs.com/.
Following the storm, CVS Pharmacy is also prepared to assist
with hurricane recovery efforts in impacted communities, by
planning for water and ice donation events at area stores and
keeping in close contact with first responders to offer support in
affected areas as needed in the coming days and weeks.
About CVS Pharmacy
CVS Pharmacy, the retail division of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), is
America's leading retail pharmacy with over 9,600 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.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Amy Lanctot
alanctot@cvs.com
401-770-2931
Erin Pensa
epensa@cvs.com
401-770-4786
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SOURCE CVS Pharmacy