CVS Caremark's MinuteClinic and Allina Hospitals & Clinics Form Strategic Partnership

CVS Caremark's MinuteClinic and Allina Hospitals & Clinics Form Strategic
Partnership

WOONSOCKET, R.I. and MINNEAPOLIS, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire/ -- MinuteClinic, the
retail health care division of CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS), and Allina Hospitals
& Clinics of Minnesota and western Wisconsin have formed a partnership to
pursue collaborative activities that will focus on enhancing high-quality
health care services in the communities they serve. MinuteClinic is the
pioneer and largest provider of retail health care in the United States, with
about 500 locations nationally and 24 locations in the Twin Cities area, most
within CVS/pharmacy stores. These locations, which provide a convenient,
seven-day-a-week option for treating common illnesses in addition to offering
prevention and wellness services, will now have a direct link to one of the
region's premier integrated health care systems. Allina Hospitals & Clinics
is a not-for-profit network of hospitals, clinics and other health care
services, providing care throughout Minnesota and western Wisconsin.

"This relationship brings two strong organizations together for one purpose:
better care for our patients," said Kenneth H. Paulus, President and CEO of
Allina Hospitals & Clinics. "By coordinating care between the retail clinic
setting and our clinics and hospitals, patients can feel confident that they
will be well taken care of, whether they have a minor illness or something
more serious."

"We are pleased to work with one of the leading hospital and clinic systems in
the country to expand access to basic health care needs in the community and
improve patient outcomes," said Andrew J. Sussman, M.D., MinuteClinic
president. "Through this agreement, Allina physicians will serve as a valuable
resource to our MinuteClinic nurse practitioners in the Twin Cities area. We
also look forward to collaborating with Allina on information connectivity and
a range of new services."

Under the agreement, Allina and MinuteClinic will collaborate on aligning
their clinical care operations, including medical oversight and informing
patients of each parties' services. In addition, as part of the
collaboration, Allina and MinuteClinic will develop interfaces between their
electronic medical records (EMR) systems to streamline communication around
all aspects of a patient's care. Allina and MinuteClinic will also explore
the development of new services in the market.

Allina Hospitals & Clinics is the largest integrated health care delivery
system in Minnesota. Allina offers a full range of primary and specialty care
services including technically advanced inpatient and outpatient care, 24-hour
emergency care, medical transportation, pharmacy, and home & community
services. Through its award-winning electronic medical record (EMR) system,
Allina provides coordinated care in 11 hospitals and more than 90 clinics.
Allina is transforming health care with the EMR by providing patients with
seamless, coordinated and more informed care and improved patient safety.
MyChart, an Internet tool, enables patients to securely access portions of
their medical records, get lab results, schedule appointments online and more.

MinuteClinic health care centers are staffed by nurse practitioners who
specialize in family health care 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. Minor wounds, abrasions and joint
sprains are treated, and common vaccinations such as influenza, tetanus, MMR,
and Hepatitis A & B are available at all locations. In addition, MinuteClinic
administers a series of wellness services designed to help consumers identify
lifestyle changes needed to improve their current and future health, including
screenings for diabetes, hypertension and obesity. No appointments are
required at MinuteClinic and most health insurance plans are accepted.

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 health care outcomes
through its more than 7,000 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. General information about CVS Caremark is
available through the Investor Relations section of the Company's Web site, at
cvscaremark.com/investors, as well as through the press room section of the
Company's Web site, at cvscaremark.com/newsroom.

About MinuteClinic
Minneapolis-based MinuteClinic is a subsidiary of CVS Caremark Corporation,
the 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 5 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 health care 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 Allina Hospitals and Clinics
Allina Hospitals & Clinics comprises 11 hospitals, more than 90 clinics,
specialty care centers, and specialty medical services that provide hospice
care, oxygen and home medical equipment, pharmacies, and emergency medical
transportation services. Allina Hospitals & Clinics and the latest health
information can be found online at www.allina.com.

Media Contacts:
For CVS Caremark:
Carolyn Castel, 401-770-5717, ccastel@cvs.com

For MinuteClinic:
Brent Burkhardt, 410-986-1303, bburkhardt@tbc.us

For Allina:
David Kanihan, 612-262-4986, 612-867-2845 (cell), david.kanihan@allina.com

SOURCE CVS Caremark

For CVS Caremark: Carolyn Castel, +1-401-770-5717, ccastel@cvs.com; For
MinuteClinic: Brent Burkhardt, +1-410-986-1303, bburkhardt@tbc.us; For Allina:
David Kanihan, +1-612-262-4986, +1-612-867-2845 (cell),
david.kanihan@allina.com