MinuteClinic Achieves Seventh Joint Commission Accreditation Under New Standards of Care

MinuteClinic Earns Seventh Consecutive Joint Commission Accreditation

CVS Health® (NYSE: CVS) has announced that MinuteClinic®, the retail medical clinic located within select CVS Pharmacy stores across the United States, has received its seventh consecutive Joint Commission Ambulatory Health Care Accreditation. This latest accreditation is particularly noteworthy as it is the first to assess MinuteClinic's primary care services under the new Medical Center standards.

Since its inception in 2006, MinuteClinic has led the way in retail healthcare. It was the first clinic of its kind to earn Joint Commission accreditation and has maintained this prestigious recognition for two decades. The Joint Commission’s Gold Seal of Approval® is a symbol of commitment to delivering safe, high-quality care and adherence to rigorous standards.

Expansion into Primary Care

MinuteClinic’s recent accreditation emphasizes its growth in providing adult primary care. Currently, about 80% of the surveyed locations now offer such services, expanding access to healthcare for more than 65% of MinuteClinic's sites. This change reflects the organization's strategic pivot towards delivering comprehensive medical services that meet the increasing needs of patients in various communities.

The accreditation process evaluated MinuteClinic’s performance in significant areas such as care coordination, electronic health record management, patient safety protocols, and infection control measures. The Joint Commission placed special emphasis on MinuteClinic's capacity to deliver ongoing, longitudinal care—a critical component in modern healthcare.

According to Jon Thiboutot, President of Retail Health at CVS Health, the evaluation under Medical Center standards reveals the clinic's strong foundation as it transitions into a more comprehensive model of primary care, focusing on preventive healthcare and patient-centric relationships.