The yoga mat was tested by the pharmacy chain, as well as Walgreens and Walmart.com.
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45% of the population in the United States is affected by chronic diseases.133 million Americans.$3.5 trillion in healthcare costs every year.
A lot of programs, products, and health startup are aimed at lowering the rates of chronic disease and now CVS Health is hoping to tackle the issue while shopping for toothpaste and toilet paper.The company is testing a retail concept.It is a new kind of healthcare destination that blends the convenience of the pharmacy chain with the ease and familiarity of a neighborhood community center.There are three HealthHubs in Houston.
20% of the store now offers a broader range of healthcare services, like one-on-one nutritionist counseling and workout classes.New product categories include fitness products, yoga mats, and an expanded category for sleep, anxiety, or memory improvement.Wheelchairs and monitors are among the durable medical equipment that it carries.
These are all items that have never been carried before by CVS Health.The overhead digital screen highlights the product's use and efficacy.People who want to learn more can see multiple iPads on learning tables.
"We are a nonintrusive part of millions of people's daily lives and so when we interact with them in a healthcare setting, they are already thinking about their health."
CVS Health can help people manage the small daily decisions by delivering more services that address both the medical contributors of a condition as well as social determinants.It adds up to a bigger influence on managing chronic disease.
According to the CDC, 70% of diseases in the U.S. are chronic and lifestyle-driven, and nearly half of the population has one or more chronic health conditions.
Chronic disease is the leading cause of healthcare costs in the U.S.In the last 50 years, U.S. healthcare expenditures have tripled from 5% of GDP to 17.9%.
There is a MinuteClinic inside each HealthHub.The MinuteClinics are staffed by board-certified nurse practitioners.Out of 8,500 stores, there are about 1,000 MinuteClinics.The MinuteClinics found in a HealthHub offer a more comprehensive service, such as more staffed personnel who can answer medical questions as well as nurse practitioners who do thorough exams.
There is a "pharmacists panel" in which pharmacists spend a lot of time talking to patients about their lifestyle, medications they are taking, and what exercises they should be doing.
A concierge service will schedule free home delivery or set up a monthly shipment of medications.They will educate customers on new service offerings and help them navigate in-store services, as well as go over their health insurance benefits.The community is set up for success with a white-glove touch.
Kevin Hourican jokes that the care concierge is called the Geek Squad for healthcare.
Wellness, which means lots of different things for different people, is ingrained in the program.The $4.2 trillion wellness industry includes fitness, nutrition, mind-body health, and even beauty.
The category was narrowed down to physical health, emotional health and financial resources.The team worked with the Harvard School of Public Health to create an approach that would appeal to their consumers, many of them middle-age or senior citizens.
Hourican says that it is an annual diabetic exam or eye exam for some.Others prefer a nutrition lecture series or a stress-reducing class.A senior technology day shows customers how to use technology.The programs are conducted in private from the shopping public.
Lotvin says that they are doing yoga classes for people who have never done yoga before.They are able to gain more knowledge about their bodies at hubs.
Lotvin says it is meant to be a community resource.A place where people can learn new things is what we want to be.
The role of primary care doctor is not going to be replaced by CVS Health.The retailer sees itself as a complement to more traditional medical services in the community.When doctors offices are closed or a customer needs a non-emergency medical test, HealthHub can be used.
According to Lotvin, HealthHub adds medical availability and access in the local market.Half of clients who visit a MinuteClinic don't have a primary care doctor.Half don't want one.This is a way for those people to get good primary care.
If a HealthHub nurse practitioners notice a client needs more medical attention, he or she will refer them to a local doctor or specialist.It is a strategy that has worked well for MinuteClinic.In the last year, MinuteClinic referred 3.4 million primary care patients.
Lotvin says that big integrated health systems are looking for more efficient ways to deliver primary care.You don't need a doctor to adjust someone's blood pressure medication.It's very efficient to work with a nurse practitioners to put everything into the electronic medical record.
According to a recent research report, America will experience physician shortages in both primary and specialty care in the coming years.We could be short over 100,000 physicians by the end of the decade.New, innovative ways to spread care are what the medical community looks for.
Several new healthcare developments were rolled out by the company in the last year.Virtual health appointments can be used for minor illnesses, such as coughs or colds, injuries, and skin conditions.The company's stock price jumped 4% after it crushed first-quarter expectations.
Lotvin says they are trying to build the first consumer-centered healthcare company.We want to use technology to bring more services to people.Community is defined as in your hands, the store, and your home.
The HealthHub concept will be expanded to more big cities by the company.Houston has one of the highest rates of uninsured residents in the U.S.
Areas with a high prevalence of chronic disease will be targeted by the next hubs.The program may cater to other vulnerable groups.It might build a store in an area with a lot of young people who are moving away from primary care doctors.