Trust in health care delivery, the cost of care and the availability of health services are the top factors patients consider when choosing medical care in their communities, according to a recent national survey of 2,200 Americans conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of CVS Health.
Specifically, when ranking the most critical factors in finding the right care:
- 76% of respondents believe trust is very important;
- 70% of respondents believe cost is very important; and
- 59% of respondents believe same-day care is very important.
These findings underscore the importance of delivering high-quality care locally. At CVS Health, we are committed to working to build a better, more affordable and easier way to navigate the health care system for all Americans.
Strengthening Trust in Health Care Delivery
By establishing trusted community-based health care resources, patients can have peace of mind about the care available to them locally. At CVS Health, we believe that strengthening patients’ trust in their health care requires providing access to convenient touchpoints with established providers. Pharmacies and retail clinics can play a valuable role.
Among the respondents surveyed, the pharmacy is by far the most accessible location. Nearly three-fourths of respondents live within five miles – or a less than a 10-minute commute – of a pharmacy in their neighborhood. Pharmacists are on the front lines of community care, offering a knowledgeable and trustworthy touchpoint for medication management, preventive services, and advice in between doctor’s visits. CVS Health’s pharmacists currently serve patients in over 10,000 communities nationwide, with five million Americans walking into our retail locations every day.
Half of respondents also report living within 10 minutes of an urgent care center or retail health clinic, making them another accessible point of care for many. Walk-in medical clinics can fill a gap between traditional emergency rooms and doctor’s offices by offering on-demand care, longer hours and immediate treatment of urgent, but not life-threatening, health needs. Our more than 1,100 MinuteClinic locations across the nation deliver high-quality, reliable care from nurse practitioners and physician assistants who specialize in family health care. MinuteClinic was the first retail health care provider to earn the Gold Seal of Approval from the Joint Commission in 2006 and has been reaccredited three times since – assuring patients that convenient care can also be high-quality.
Addressing Rising Health Care Costs
Health care can come at a significant and sometimes unexpected cost for many Americans, making it difficult to afford the care they need. In fact, 60 percent of survey respondents view costs as a barrier to being as healthy as they would like to be.
From prescription medicines to treatments and screenings, CVS Health is taking a multi-front approach to help patients locate more affordable, high-quality health care. For example:
- We offer tools like the Rx Savings Finder and solutions like our real-time benefits program to help patients, prescribers, and pharmacists thoughtfully review lower-cost, therapeutically equivalent medication options.
- We promote utilization of generics and biosimilars as part of our formulary strategy to provide lower-cost options for CVS Caremark beneficiaries.
- We provide easy access to cost information about the 125+ MinuteClinic services online, most of which cost less than $100.
Making it Easier for Americans to Receive Same-Day Care
It’s not always easy or practical to take time out of the work day to receive medical care, making it difficult to find services that fit into daily life. In our survey, respondents rated “extended hours” and “web or mobile appointment scheduling” as the top two services that could most positively impact their health, underscoring a strong desire for convenient health care on their terms.
MinuteClinic has evening and weekend hours, with the ability to view wait times and schedule an appointment online. CVS Health also offers several digital tools that help patients easily find local CVS Pharmacy and MinuteClinic locations and manage their medications from their computer or smartphone.
For more information about CVS Health’s efforts to improve access to quality care across the nation, visit our Quality & Access information center and the CVS Health Impact Dashboard. To stay informed about the latest updates and innovations from CVS Health, register for content alerts and our bi-weekly health care newsletter.