MinuteClinic health care centers are located inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in the Los Angeles and San Diego metropolitan areas, and are staffed by masters-prepared board-certified nurse practitioners (NPs) who work in collaboration with physicians and are trained to diagnose, treat and write prescriptions for common family illnesses, such as strep throat and ear, eye, sinus, bladder and bronchial infections. MinuteClinic NPs are also qualified to administer vaccines and provide a series of wellness services designed to help beneficiaries identify lifestyle changes needed to improve their current and future health. MinuteClinic health care centers are open seven days a week. Appointments are not necessary and most visits take between 10-15 minutes.

The addition of MinuteClinics to the already-robust SynerMed network of services offers patients a convenient alternative for attention to non-urgent, common health problems. Because appointments are unnecessary, patients can visit a MinuteClinic and receive immediate access to basic health care services when their primary care physician is not available or the emergency room is not appropriate.

"Our goal is to facilitate the delivery of high quality, collaborative care by integrating physicians through technology, evidence-based medicine, streamlined work flow and management processes,” said James P. Mason, president and chief operating officer of SynerMed. “Because records of all patient visits are sent from MinuteClinics to our secure database within 24 hours, the clinics act as a direct extension of the SynerMed network, providing our physicians with updated health records to ensure continuity of care for their patients."

"Our conveniently located, store-based clinics throughout Southern California expand access to high-quality, affordable treatment for common family illnesses and preventative health services,” said Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer, CVS Caremark. “By joining the SynerMed health care network, we can play a significant role in reducing health care costs and unnecessary time spent waiting for care."

About MinuteClinic
Minneapolis-based MinuteClinic is a subsidiary of CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS), the number No. 1 provider of prescriptions and related health care services in the nation. MinuteClinic launched the first retail health care centers in the United States in 2000 and is the first provider to establish a national presence with about 500 locations in 25 states. By creating a health care delivery model that responds to consumer demand, MinuteClinic makes access to high-quality medical treatment easier for more Americans. The Company has generated more than 4 million patient visits, with a 95 percent customer satisfaction rating. A recognized leader in the patient-centric health care movement, MinuteClinic consistently brings innovation to the marketplace and sets new standards for clinical quality that exceed the national guidelines established for store-based clinics by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP). MinuteClinic is the first retail provider to receive accreditation from The Joint Commission, the national evaluation and certifying agency for nearly 15,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States. For more information, visit www.MinuteClinic.com.

About SynerMed, Inc.
Founded in 1995 and headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif., SynerMed is the leading government program-focused managed services organization (MSO) in the country. The company’s physician-centric IPA model promotes growth and sustainability for individual physicians by providing access to SynerMed’s robust offering of products, services and management tools. By integrating physicians through technology, utilizing evidence-based medicine and streamlining work flow and management processes, SynerMed enables the delivery of efficient, cost-effective and high-quality coordinated care to more than half a million members throughout the United States. SynerMed leverages existing relationships with all major Medicaid, commercial and Medicare health plans with an impressive suite of proprietary products and services to create seamless solutions that meet each client’s highly specific needs. For more information, visit www.isynermed.com.