CVS to expand HealthHUB store format

Woonsocket, R.I.-based CVS Pharmacy is shutting down a few unprofitable store locations, as the company doubles down on efforts to expand health services.

According to CNBC, CVS Pharmacy President Kevin Hourican told investors at a meeting in New York that the company plans to change 1,500 locations into new HealthHUB formats by 2021. The format offers services such as health screenings and blood tests. The company also plans to open new stores in “high-growth markets” as well as in areas of the country where it doesn’t have much of a presence, such as the Pacific Northwest, according to the article.

CVS Pharmacy introduced its new HealthHUB store format back in February, when it decided to pilot the format in Houston. The new format includes a broader range of health care services, new product categories, digital tools, on-demand health kiosks, and what the company calls personalized care. With the new format, more than 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.

“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 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.