CVS Caremark Pharmacy Advisor® Counseling Program Receives URAC Accreditation for Health Call Center

WOONSOCKET, R.I., Nov. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS) announced today that its Pharmacy Advisor® Counseling program has been awarded Health Call Center (HCC) accreditation from URAC, a Washington, DC-based health care accrediting organization that establishes quality standards for the health care industry.  This represents the first time that CVS Caremark has received the Health Call Center accreditation and the second accreditation that the Pharmacy Advisor Counseling program has received this year.

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"CVS Caremark is honored that our Pharmacy Advisor Counseling call center received accreditation from URAC," said Troyen Brennan, MD, MPH, Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of CVS Caremark.  "We are pleased to be recognized for providing outstanding services in the industry and believe this distinction underscores the quality of the services we provide to our customers and their members."

CVS Caremark's Pharmacy Advisor Counseling Program call center offers personalized care to members with chronic conditions through a combination of targeted live outbound calls and inbound call access.  Members have the opportunity to have a discussion with a clinical pharmacist about topics that include the rationale behind prescribing the medication and potential issues that may affect adherence, such as side effects. The program was developed to help improve medication adherence for members with certain chronic conditions.

"By applying for and receiving URAC Health Call Center accreditation, CVS Caremark has demonstrated a commitment to quality health care," said URAC President and Chief Executive Officer Kylanne Green. "Quality health care is crucial to our nation's welfare and it is important to have organizations that are willing to measure themselves against national standards and undergo rigorous evaluation by an independent accrediting body."

URAC's Health Call Center Accreditation ensures that registered nurses, physicians, or other validly licensed individuals perform the clinical aspects of triage and other health information services in a manner that is timely, confidential, and includes medically appropriate care and treatment advice.

About URAC
URAC, an independent, nonprofit organization, is a leader in promoting health care quality through accreditation and certification programs. URAC's standards keep pace with the rapid changes in the health care system, and provide a mark of distinction for health care organizations to demonstrate their commitment to quality and accountability. Through its broad-based governance structure and an inclusive standards development process, URAC ensures that all stakeholders are represented in setting meaningful standards for the health care industry. For more information, visit www.urac.org.

About CVS Caremark
CVS Caremark is dedicated to helping people on their path to better health as the largest integrated pharmacy company in the United States. Through the company's more than 7,600 CVS/pharmacy stores; its leading pharmacy benefit manager serving more than 60 million plan members; and its retail health clinic system, the largest in the nation with more than 750 MinuteClinic locations, it is a market leader in mail order, retail and specialty pharmacy, retail clinics, and Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans.  As a pharmacy innovation company with an unmatched breadth of capabilities, CVS Caremark continually strives to improve health and lower costs by developing new approaches such as its unique Pharmacy Advisor program that helps people with chronic diseases such as diabetes obtain and stay on their medications.  Find more information about how CVS Caremark is reinventing pharmacy for better health at http://info.cvscaremark.com/newsroom .

Media Contact:
Christine Cramer
CVS Caremark
(401)770 3317
christine.cramer@cvscaremark.com

SOURCE CVS Caremark Pharmacy Services