MinuteClinic the CVS Health www.cvshealth.com walk-in clinic is expanding their services to veterans in the VA Palo Alto Health Care System www.paloatto.va.gov in California. Through this initiative, more than 60,000 veterans enrolled in the VA Palo Alto HCS can now be referred to 14 participating MinuteClinic for acute health services.
Nurse practitioners at MinuteClinic specializing in family healthcare can now help veterans by diagnosing, treating, and writing prescriptions as appropriate for common family illnesses. In addition, minor wounds, abrasions, skin condition, sprains are treated plus common vaccinations are available at most locations.
Available prevention and wellness services include screening and monitoring for diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and TB testing is available.
Veterans enrolled with the VA Palo Alto are also encouraged to call the Nurse Help-Line to receive a referral for minor illnesses, injuries and skin conditions. They can also receive wellness services that can include epinephrine injection pen refills, weight loss programs, and pregnancy tests.
Follow-up appointments with their regular primary care provider are easy to set up since the VA and CVS both use EHRs. Information from each visit is transferred electronically to the VA Palo Alto for follow-up by primary care providers.
According to Andrew Sussman M.D., Executive Vice President and Associate CMO, and President of MinuteClinic, “MinuteClinic and the VA are committed to providing top-notch care to the area’s veterans and to do this in locations and times that are convenient for the VA’s patients.”