WOONSOCKET, R.I., Sept. 11, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Five MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinics have opened inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in the St. Louis metropolitan area in Creve Coeur, Ellisville, O'Fallon, St. Peters and St. Louis (Mehlville).  MinuteClinic is the largest and fastest growing provider of walk-in medical clinics in the United States.

The St. Louis-area clinics join 15 Missouri-based MinuteClinic locations inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in the Kansas City metropolitan area and more than 900 MinuteClinic locations nationwide.

MinuteClinic is open seven days a week with no appointment necessary. Most major health insurance is accepted. For patients paying cash or credit, treatment prices are posted at each clinic and on www.minuteclinic.com. The cost for most services starts at $79.

"Since the opening of the first store-based clinics in Missouri in 2006, MinuteClinic has helped to expand access to high-quality, convenient and affordable care to thousands of residents who visit CVS/pharmacy locations near where they live and work," said Andrew Sussman, M.D., president, MinuteClinic and senior vice president/associate chief medical officer, CVS Health. "The demand for MinuteClinic services will grow in Missouri due in part to the shortage of primary care physicians, the aging Baby Boomer population and the influx of newly insured patients through the Affordable Care Act."

MinuteClinic nurse practitioners specialize in family health care and can diagnose, treat and write prescriptions for common family illnesses such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections. Minor wounds, abrasions, skin conditions and joint sprains are treated, and common vaccinations such as influenza, tetanus, pneumonia and Hepatitis A & B are available at most locations. Walk-in camp, sports and college physicals are available daily.

In addition, MinuteClinic administers a series of wellness services designed to help patients identify lifestyle changes needed to improve their current and future health, including screenings and monitoring for diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.

MinuteClinic practitioners use a software program that at the conclusion of each visit generates educational material and a prescription (when clinically appropriate) for the patient, as well as a diagnostic record that can be sent via electronic health record, fax or mail to a primary care provider with patient permission.

Sussman says MinuteClinic is committed to helping patients find a medical home and believes it can play a complementary role in working with primary care providers.

"About 50 percent of visits occur on evenings, weekends and holidays when patients may not be able to get an appointment with their primary care provider," Sussman said. "And about half of the patients seen at MinuteClinic do not have a personal physician."

Patients who visit MinuteClinic without a primary care provider are provided a list of physicians in the area who are accepting new patients.

The MinuteClinic walk-in medical clinics in Missouri operate from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday.

 MinuteClinic Locations Inside CVS/pharmacy Stores in the St. Louis Area:

  • Creve Coeur, 11560 Olive Blvd.
  • Ellisville, 15846 Manchester Rd.
  • O'Fallon, 3002 Highway K
  • St. Louis (Mehlville), 7334 Lindbergh Blvd.
  • St. Peters, 400 Mid Rivers Mall Rd.

About MinuteClinic
 CVS/minuteclinic is a division of CVS Health (NYSE: CVS), the largest pharmacy health care provider in the United States. MinuteClinic launched the first retail medical clinics in the United States in 2000 and is the largest provider of retail clinics with more than 900 locations in 29 states and the District of Columbia. By creating a health care delivery model that responds to patient demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. Nationally, the company has provided care through more than 21 million patient visits, with a 95% customer satisfaction rating. MinuteClinic is the only retail health care provider to receive three consecutive accreditations from The Joint Commission, the national evaluation and certifying agency for nearly 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States.www.MinuteClinic.com.

SOURCE MinuteClinic

distributed by