MinuteClinic sets sights on growth

MINNEAPOLIS MinuteClinic, the CVS/Caremark subsidiary that is the largest provider of retail health care in the United States, has surpassed the 200 clinic mark with a new center opening last week in Hartford, Conn., the company announced Tuesday. The company also said that it plans to enter all markets where CVS/pharmacy stores are located. "By the end of 2007," said Michael Howe, "we expect to have more than 400 MinuteClinic locations and longer term, based on consumer demand, we expect to have MinuteClinics in over 2,500 CVS/pharmacy locations."

MinuteClinic health care centers are staffed by masters-prepared, board certified nurse practitioners and physician assistants who specialize in family health care 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 health care centers are located in 20 states in the following metropolitan areas: Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus, Detroit, Hartford, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Nashville, New York City, Northern New Jersey, Orlando, Phoenix, Providence, Raleigh-Durham, Seattle, Southern Connecticut, South Florida, Winston-Salem and the Maryland suburbs of the nation's capital.