CVS Health testing new HealthHUB store format

When CVS Health completed its acquisition of Aetna in November 2018, it set a bold course to transform the consumer health care experience in America. Today, the combined company is taking an important step in its work with the introduction of HealthHUB® locations at CVS Pharmacy stores in Houston, Texas. 

“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 for CVS Health. “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.” 

The company is piloting a total of three HealthHUB locations in Houston that offer a broader range of health care services, new product categories, digital tools and on-demand health kiosks, trusted advice and personalized care. With the new format over 20 percent of the store is now dedicated to health services, including new durable medical equipment (DME) and supplies and new product and service combinations for sleep apnea and diabetes care.

With personalized Pharmacy support programs and MinuteClinic services, the HUB team is improving care for patients managing chronic conditions, with a focus on recommending next best clinical actions and driving medical costs savings.

The new store format also includes a variety of pathways to nutritional health with one-on-one and group counseling delivered by an in-store licensed dietitian, as well as access to a free weight loss digital app.

Acting as the connection point inside the HealthHUB is the Care Concierge, a newly established professional responsible for customer engagement, including educating customers about our new service offerings, helping them navigate the in-store services and events, and connecting them to our in-store providers. To date, customers accepted help from our Care Concierge in more than 95 percent of recorded interactions, with 50 percent resulting in engagement with another HealthHUB provider or offering.

The design of the HealthHUB also includes community spaces and digitally enabled offerings. Wellness Rooms are available for CVS professionals and community partners to host group events, including health classes, nutritional seminars and benefits education. There are Learning Tables that include iPads for customers to explore health and wellness apps, as well as shop our expanded product selection on cvs.com. And there are On-Demand Health Kiosks that help customers measure and track their blood pressure, weight and BMI.

“Most of the time, I would run into the CVS Pharmacy when I was sick or just needed a few convenience items,” said Jacqueline Haynes, a longtime CVS Pharmacy customer and Houston resident. “I was quite surprised with all of the health and wellness products, support services and community events inside the store. HealthHUB makes you want to be healthy and stay healthy.”

CVS Health is encouraged by its early results and customer response to HealthHUB. The company says it will continue to pilot the Houston-based locations, with the goal of continuing to innovate and test to determine the right mix of products and services that can impact patient health while being scalable.

“We have a sense of urgency about the need to bring real change to health care,” said Kevin Hourican, EVP, CVS Health and president of CVS Pharmacy. “What’s clear to us is that it will take more than incremental steps to fix what is broken in the health care system. That’s why we’re excited about how the combination of CVS and Aetna can begin to establish an innovative health care model that will create an entirely new consumer experience and help people on their path to better health.”