First MinuteClinic opens in Providence

A RIBBON CUTTING was held at the first MinuteClinic in Providence on June 3. Pictured, from left to right, are MinuteClinic Area Director Anne Pohnert; Rhode Island Free Clinic CEO Marie Ghazal; MinuteClinic Chief Nursing Officer Angela Patterson; MinuteClinic Nurse Practitioner Deborah Thomas; MinuteClinic Nurse Practitioner Susan Curran; and MinuteClinic State Practice Manager Brittany Silva. / COURTESY CVS HEALTH CORP.
A RIBBON CUTTING was held at the first MinuteClinic in Providence on June 3. Pictured, from left to right, are MinuteClinic Area Director Anne Pohnert; Rhode Island Free Clinic CEO Marie Ghazal; MinuteClinic Chief Nursing Officer Angela Patterson; MinuteClinic Nurse Practitioner Deborah Thomas; MinuteClinic Nurse Practitioner Susan Curran; and MinuteClinic State Practice Manager Brittany Silva. / COURTESY CVS HEALTH CORP.

PROVIDENCE – CVS Health Corp. opened its first MinuteClinic in the city last week inside the CVS/pharmacy store at 799 Hope St., marking its sixth retail medical clinic to open in Rhode Island since October.

Woonsocket-based CVS said in a news release that a seventh MinuteClinic will open later this month in Westerly. The Providence location opened June 3.

Open seven days a week with no appointment necessary, the walk-in clinics accept most major health insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid health plans, and are staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

They 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 knee and ankle sprains are treated, and common vaccinations such as influenza, tetanus, pneumonia and Hepatitis A & B are available.

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Treatment prices are posted at each clinic and at minuteclinic.com. Cost for most services starts at $79.

MinuteClinic also provides free care to the patients of the Rhode Island Free Clinic as part of its overall commitment to increasing access to affordable health care in Rhode Island, the company said.

“We are seeing steady growth in patient visits at all the Rhode Island clinics as more individuals become familiar with our services and the high quality, affordable care we provide,” Dr. Andrew Sussman, MinuteClinic president and executive vice president/associate chief medical officer/CVS Health, said in a statement.

Lifespan, Rhode Island’s largest health system with more than 1,800 physicians, and MinuteClinic also are working to integrate their electronic medical records to further promote exchange of clinical information, with patients’ permission.

Practitioners provide a diagnosis and treatment plan and offer educational materials at the conclusion of each MinuteClinic visit. A diagnostic visit summary is sent via electronic health record or fax within 24 hours to primary care providers with patient permission.

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

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