CVS Health has opened three pilot locations in Houston with more than 20% of the store space dedicated to health services. The HealthHUB locations feature a broad range of health care services, additional product categories, digital tools and on-demand health kiosks, advice and personalized care.
Each store employs a Care Concierge to educate shoppers about the location’s offerings, help them navigate services and events, and connect them with in-store providers. Customers have accepted help from Care Concierges in 95% of recorded interactions, and 50% went on to engage with another HealthHUB provider or offering.
Advertisement
The new format also includes one-on-one and group counseling with an in-store licensed dietitian and a free weight loss app. Wellness Rooms are available for hosting events, while Learning Tables have iPads that let shoppers explore other health and wellness apps.
Early response to the HealthHUB stores has been positive, and CVS Health plans to continue piloting the Houston-area locations. The retailer is trying to determine the right mix of products and services for this new format.
“We believe that transforming the consumer health care experience begins with creating a new front door to health care,” said Alan Lotvin, Chief Transformation Officer at CVS Health in a statement. “Our new HealthHUB locations are just that — helping to elevate the store into a convenient neighborhood health care destination that brings easier access to better care at a lower cost.”
CVS Health first announced its plans for a new health care-focused concept after its acquisition of Aetna in November 2018. At the time, the retailer laid out several goals for its new format:
- Managing five common chronic conditions: diabetes, cardiovascular disease, hypertension, asthma and behavioral health;
- Extending primary care, including expanding the scope of services available at CVS MinuteClinics to help identify and manage chronic diseases;
- Reducing hospital readmissions by combining Aetna clinical programs with the CVS community presence to support patients during and after the discharge process; and
- Developing comprehensive programs to better manage complex diseases such as kidney disease or cancer.