Health department OKs seven R.I. MinuteClinics

WOONSOCKET – The R.I. Department of Health has approved CVS Caremark Corp.’s application to open seven MinuteClinic facilities throughout Rhode Island.
The seven walk-in clinics would be located inside CVS/pharmacy retail stores in Cranston, East Greenwich, North Smithfield, Providence, Wakefield, Westerly and Woonsocket. They would be the pharmacy chain’s first MinuteClinic locations in the state.
In his 19-page decision granting initial licensure for the MinuteClinics, Health Director Dr. Michael Fine addressed arguments of MinuteClinic opponents that the “convenience care” model of retailer health care providers like MinuteClinic could disrupt the primary care system in Rhode Island.
Although the Department of Health heard testimony that MinuteClinics are likely to adversely impact Rhode Island’s primary care business model, Fine said, there is no clear evidence that denying MinuteClinic’s application to open locations in Rhode Island would bring the state any closer to achieving its health care goals. •

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