Showing posts with label cvs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cvs. Show all posts

Friday, March 13, 2009

News You Can Use: CVS closes 90 MinuteClinics til next flu season

In what may be another sign of the (recession) times, CVS has announced it will close 90 of the retail MinuteClinics located in its stores until next flu season, citing an effort to align clinic open hours with consumer demand.

Is this a cost-cutting move in response to the recession, a sign of consumers foregoing care due to cost or a larger rejection of the retail clinic model? Comment and let me know what you think.

More EBN coverage on retail clinics:
http://tinyurl.com/atgayg
http://tinyurl.com/c7ugop

Thursday, December 4, 2008

News You Can Use: Report details discriminatory, unsanitary practices by CVS

The CVS Caremark Corporation is under fire today about the results of an investigation into practices regarding access to its stores and services, quality control and consumer privacy and safety issues at CVS stores.

The study, conducted by consumer advocacy group Cure CVS over a 14-month period, finds that in the metro New York City area, CVS operates four times as many stores per person in the where the median annual household income is over $80,000, as in the least, where the median annual income is under $40,000. There are twice as many CVS stores per person in the wealthiest areas of Greater Los Angeles as there are in the least wealthy. By contrast, Walgreens and Rite Aid have more stores per person in less affluent areas across the country, the group concludes.

The report also finds that CVS is more likely to place 24-hour stores and in-store medical clinics in majority-white neighborhoods and higher-income communities. The chain also has been taken to task for unsanitary practices. In June , the Attorneys General of New York and California demanded that CVS stop offering expired infant formula and over-the-counter medications.

CVS is the nation’s largest drug store chain, operating 6,800 stores nationwide. CVS Caremark Corporation is the nation’s largest source of prescription drugs.