CVS Caremark Discusses Role Of Health IT To Optimize Pharmacy Health Care

Main Category: Pharmacy / Pharmacist
Also Included In: IT / Internet / E-mail;  Conferences
Article Date: 07 Apr 2009 - 2:00 PDT

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CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS) discussed the role health IT is playing in optimizing the delivery of pharmacy health care at the HIMSS09 Annual Conference & Exhibition, in Chicago, IL. At the conference, Helena Foulkes, Executive Vice President at CVS Caremark, outlined how the company is evaluating and leveraging a variety of technologies to engage consumers and positively impact health outcomes and lower costs.

"In today's wired world, consumers are exposed to a lot of information about their health care options from a variety of sources and in a number of different formats," says Foulkes. "Given the complexities of the health care system in general, this fragmented approach can leave consumers confused and unsure about what they need to do to stay healthy. CVS Caremark's Proactive Pharmacy Care approach leverages a number of different technology tools to engage and educate our patients and their health care providers about their pharmacy health care needs earlier in the process."

Foulkes discussed how CVS Caremark implements technology to enhance health care outcomes and how the combination of health technology and customized face-to-face interaction can positively impact medication compliance and engage consumers in their own health care. The technologies Foulkes reviewed in her presentation include tools to help improve medication compliance, e-prescribing, electronic health records, and a proprietary tool to help CVS Caremark prioritize interventions and allow for timely, coordinated patient-specific health improvement and cost-savings opportunities.

Ms. Foulkes' presentation "Proactive Pharmacy Care: Leveraging Technology for Improved Outcomes" took place during the HIMSS'09 Annual Conference & Exhibition on Sunday, April 5th from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. in room S100 at McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, IL.

About CVS Caremark

CVS Caremark is the largest provider of prescriptions in the nation. The Company fills or manages more than 1 billion prescriptions annually. Through its unmatched breadth of service offerings, CVS Caremark is transforming the delivery of health care services in the U.S. The Company is uniquely positioned to effectively manage costs and improve healthcare outcomes through its more than 6,900 CVS/pharmacy and Longs Drugs stores; its Caremark Pharmacy Services division (pharmacy benefit management, mail order and specialty pharmacy); its retail-based health clinic subsidiary, MinuteClinic; and its online pharmacy, CVS.com.

About HIMSS

The Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is the healthcare industry's membership organization exclusively focused on providing global leadership for the optimal use of healthcare information technology (IT) and management systems for the betterment of healthcare. Founded in 1961 with offices in Chicago, Washington D.C., Brussels, Singapore, and other locations across the United States and the globe, HIMSS represents more than 20,000 individual members and over 350 corporate members that collectively represent organizations employing millions of people. HIMSS frames and leads healthcare public policy and industry practices through its advocacy, educational and professional development initiatives designed to promote information and management systems' contributions to ensuring quality patient care.

Source: CVS Caremark