Hiring our Heroes
Thirty -one-year-old Milton Thornton spent four years as a Ship’s Serviceman in the United States Navy, serving his time aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln and at the naval base in Everett, WA. When he returned to civilian life, finding a meaningful job proved to be more difficult than the Louisiana native had imagined. But thanks to CVS Caremark’s partnership with Hiring our Heroes, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s nationwide initiative to help veterans and military spouses find employment, his experience working in the ship’s store is coming in handy as a clerk/cashier at CVS/pharmacy Store #5681 in Chicago.
“Milton has been a great addition to the store. All his colleagues respect him and his work ethic is second to none. I look forward to helping him move his career forward,” says Rich Olinski, store manager.
CVS Caremark is a Chairman's Circle sponsor of Hiring our Heroes, and recruits for potential veteran employees at job fairs all across the country.
"As a nationwide employer focused on transforming the delivery of health care services, CVS Caremark is committed to providing job opportunities and attractive Milton Thornton career paths for members of the military. We value their experience and training as leaders, innovators and team builders and see many opportunities for veterans to make a seamless transition from the military to a career at CVS Caremark," says David Casey, Vice President, Workforce Strategies and Chief Diversity Officer, CVS Caremark.
A veteran of the United States Marine Corps himself, having served in Operation Desert Storm, David adds, "I understand how important it is to have a meaningful career opportunity and to have your transferrable skills recognized by a prospective employer when you return to the civilian workforce after military service."
"It's a tough job market right now. I don’t know if I’d be employed if it wasn’t for CVS and Hiring our Heroes,” says Milton. “I have always been an ambitious person but all I needed was an opportunity to show what I am capable of doing. Milton helps a customer at Store I’m excited about my future with the company.” #5681 in Chicago.
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Helping People on Their Path to Better Health - Molly's Story
Molly Stelle‐Betman Nurse Practitioner, MinuteClinic Woodridge, IL
I love my work as a nurse practitioner and want to excite young students about health care too. I serve as a guest speaker during a two-week summer science camp which exposes students in grades 5 through 8 to the many facets of health care through seminars, field trips, and hands-on activities. The aim is to build their knowledge and raise awareness about the different careers they might pursue.
In my Career and Health Professions presentation, I review the history of nurse practitioners, talk about the necessary education and training we undertake, and provide an overview of MinuteClinic’s services. I also teach the students about acute illnesses, and I let them try out some common medical instruments such as an otoscope, stethoscope and blood pressure cuff. At the end of each presentation, students have a better understanding of what it takes to pursue a career in health care.
At a time when our country is facing a shortage of primary care providers, I feel good about working for a company that supports career education, inspiring the next generation of care givers to help others on their path to better health.
Voices Carry
Members of the Shared Leadership Council display the emergency relief kits they assembled for the Rhode Island Red Cross.
Shared Leadership Council brings field’s perspective straight to senior MinuteClinic leaders
For nearly two years, the Shared Leadership Council, a select group of MinuteClinic’s best and brightest nurse practitioners and physician assistants, has been conveying the views and ideas of the field to senior leaders within the organization. Co-chaired by MinuteClinic President Andy Sussman and Chief Nurse Practitioner Paulette Thabault, the Council fosters an atmosphere of shared governance and empowers practitioners with the ability to speak openly about MinuteClinic practices and policies.
“The Shared Leadership Council provides a great format for senior leaders to interact with and engage representatives from the field. Whenever we roll out a new process or improvement, such as our current electronic health records management project called iCARE, their input is essential and often leads to even better results,” says Thabault.
The Council, which consists of 16 members, meets with senior leaders four times a year. They also lend their perspective as members of critical senior team committees including, Clinical Operations, Quality, IT Prioritization, Growth and Senior Management. Before they are chosen to serve their three- year term, representatives must apply for the position and be endorsed by their managers.
Earlier this month, the group kicked off its meeting with a community service project, as attendees prepared 100 emergency relief kits for the Rhode Island Red Cross. Council members also heard from leaders on some of the most important MinuteClinic programs being rolled out in 2013, including “ICARE”, a new approach to our kiosk and electronic health record system.
“It was great to see everybody participating and sharing their thoughts and best practices around clinical operations. The obvious passion the members have for their jobs was inspiring, and helps us to work collaboratively on initiatives that will improve the health outcomes of our patients,” says Meredith Dixon, Vice President of Operations at MinuteClinic.
The group left the meeting with lots of useful information, which they were looking forward to sharing with their teams at home.
“It is my goal to affirm to my peers that we work for a company that cares about our input, and integrates this as much as possible in the decision making process. This shared governance empowers all of us to grow and succeed as we care for our patients,” says nurse practitioner Kristene Diggins, who also serves as Vice Chair of the Council.
Challenge Grant Helps Ensure Veterans’ Legacies
Pictured from left: Chris Anderson, former Arizona Congressman Harry Mitchell and Mary Michelle McCarville
No matter how many years have passed, veterans never forget their time spent in the military. All who served have a tale to tell, and thanks to the dedication of CVS Caremark pharmacy advisor Mary Michelle McCarville in Scottsdale, AZ, their stories and legacies are being preserved for the benefit of generations to come.
Both Mary, and fellow VFW Post 3513 Ladies Auxiliary member Chris Anderson, grew up listening to their fathers’ accounts of military life during World War II and were inspired to provide a forum for other veterans to have their say. The two started the Arizona Veteran Legacy Project as a means for the public to learn how war has impacted the lives of veterans and civilians.
In acknowledgement of her dedication to the project, Mary was recently awarded a CVS Caremark Volunteer Challenge Grant to benefit Post 3513. The grant will help defray the costs of video equipment and supplies, and allow Mary to continue her efforts to bring the stories of our military veterans to life.
Each veteran is videotaped relaying their story, and once completed, they receive a DVD of the interview as well as a transcript and a photo. The complete package is then submitted to the Library of Congress Veterans History Project for preservation. The transcripts and the video interviews are also archived and available for purchase on Amazon.com.
“Too many of our veterans’ live their entire lives without recognition or honor, nor do they seek it. We wish our community to know about these individuals so we may honor them and inspire others,” says Mary.
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Challenge Grant Recipient is Fostering Hope
Too many foster kids struggle to gain the life skills they need to start out on their own. Removed from their birth parents because of abuse, neglect, or abandonment, many have endured an emotional roller coaster ride of multiple placements with relatives, foster families or group homes and are in need of a safe haven.
That’s where the Sunshine Angels come in. The Angels assist the Sunshine Kids, the more than 220 foster children in the care of Sunshine Residential and Group Homes in Maricopa County, AZ, by providing them with the education, guidance and encouragement they often lack without traditional family support. The nonprofit provides the children with school supplies, clothing, computers, mentoring, summer camp and other recreational opportunities.
Vicky Long, Network Analyst, Industry Standards, Systems & Practices in Scottsdale, and her American Legion Post partner with the Sunshine Angels to host the monthly All 4 Success dinner. Each month, foster kids who meet four specific school or personal growth goals are invited to attend the catered dinner, where they also receive a certificate of recognition, and a $10 Wal-Mart gift card. The Post also celebrates holiday, birthday, graduation and other life event parties with the children.
In acknowledgement of her dedication, Vicky was recently awarded a CVS Caremark Volunteer Challenge Grant to benefit the Sunshine Kids. The funds will help defray the costs of food and gift cards and allow Vicky and her American Legion Post to continue their efforts to recognize the kids’ milestones and achievements.
“We are dedicated to helping these children reach their greatest potential. By providing quality care and love, we hope to instill within them the confidence and self-esteem needed to overcome the obstacles on their journey from foster care to independent living,” says Vicky.
I’m helping people on their path to better health.
Marilyn Walczak Nurse Practitioner/Qualified Delegate, MinuteClinic Allison Park, PA
Starting a new job can be a stressful experience. As a Qualified Delegate for MinuteClinic, it’s my goal to make that transition as smooth as possible for our newest nurse practitioners and physician assistants. That means educating and training them on the MinuteClinic care model and introducing them to our tools and services so they understand the varied ways we provide care for our patients. Nothing makes me prouder than seeing them grow into their role, and in turn, how they are helping people on their path to better health.
Take Kim, for example, who came to MinuteClinic after spending four years working as an RN in a hospital setting. The roles are different enough that she encountered a pretty steep learning curve. But she embraced becoming a nurse practitioner and now consistently earns praise from co-workers and patients alike. In fact, soon after starting here, she was named Extreme Care Provider of the Quarter in my market in acknowledgement of her excellent patient survey scores and intervention skills.
I’m excited to work for a company that allows me to advance the retail health care model and play a part in ensuring that our patients receive best-in-class care during every visit.
Helping People on Their Path to Better Health - Kristene's Story
Kristene Diggins Nurse Practitioner Waxhaw, NC
Communicating with kids about their medical symptoms isn’t always easy. And working with children with disabilities, such as autism, presents its own unique set of challenges. That’s why I take the time to get to know my young patients and collaborate with their caregivers on a treatment plan that will not only lead them on their path to better health, but also put them at ease should they need to visit me again.
I will never forget my first interaction with an autistic patient. An eight-year-old boy came to my clinic with his caregiver, and I could tell he was anxious about the situation. Knowing that children with autism thrive with one-on-one interaction, I focused my attention solely on the boy and persuaded him to sit down to be examined. After a few minutes, I’d gained his trust and helped him to understand that I was there to help him get well. Since that initial visit, I have had the joy of caring for the boy many times. He now comes to the clinic with a calm and peaceful attitude. I continue to give him the attention he needs, even as I confer with his caregiver about his symptoms.
I’m glad I can play a small part in his health care by helping him approach his medical visits with more confidence and less trepidation.
Helping People on Their Path to Better Health - Dawn's Story
Dawn Martin Human Resources Business Partner Winston Salem, North Carolina
As a pharmacy innovation company, it is imperative that our pharmacy leaders are engaged and prepared to handle any situation that might arise in their pharmacy. In my Region, pharmacists are encouraged to provide feedback about their jobs through focus groups and surveys. When they expressed a need for more leadership training, we created the Pharmacy Leadership program. As a facilitator of the program, I helped develop the curriculum of this seven-day class designed to give our pharmacists the necessary skills to move their careers and our company forward. Upon completion, they are better equipped to lead their teams in providing world-class service that, in turn, helps our customers on their path to better health.
Take Rachel, for instance, who enrolled in the program after she was named a pharmacy team leader for her store. After observing her actions in the classroom and discussing her future aspirations, it was apparent that she was a great fit for a more challenging role within the company. We quickly placed her on a track to be entered into our Emerging Leader program, which identifies and develops our best and brightest pharmacists and store managers, and prepares them for field leadership roles. Rachel was accepted, and within a year was promoted to a pharmacy supervisor position overseeing an entire district of stores.
I’m proud of our Pharmacy Leadership Program, and I’m thankful that CVS encourages us to take initiative and innovate when we see a need or an opportunity to help our colleagues deliver on our purpose.
Helping People on Their Path to Better Health - Lena's Story
Lena Barkley Workforce Initiatives Manager Detroit, MI
Today’s teens may be tomorrow’s pharmacists, and our Pathways to Pharmacy program helps to get them there. I collaborate with community partners to identify and prepare at-risk students for a potential career in pharmacy. The summer internship offered through the program helps to even the playing field for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, exposing them to the world of retail pharmacy and providing an opportunity for employment with CVS/pharmacy. In fact, several graduates credit the program with fueling their passion for the profession and are now pursuing advanced degrees in pharmacy.
Take Alexis, for example, who participated in the program through our partnership with the Simon Youth Foundation in Indianapolis, IN. Alexis was pregnant and in danger of dropping out of school when she enrolled at one of the Foundation’s 23 nationwide non-traditional high schools, called Simon Youth Academies. Each year Simon Youth Foundation and CVS/pharmacy partner to place dozens of Academy students in the Pathways program. Today, Alexis is enrolled in pharmacy school on a full academic scholarship, and she credits Pathways to Pharmacy for turning her life around. She says that before her internship at CVS/pharmacy, she never would have thought of becoming a pharmacist, but thanks to the mentoring and support she received, she now finds herself on a solid career path in a profession she loves, having found her own personal path to better health.
It’s great to work for a company that purposefully invests in our youth, to identify and nurture the next generation of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
Volunteer Challenge Grant Showcases a Winning Team
Lovely Dorleans unloads supplies for the Lake Cares food pantry.
CVS/pharmacy cashier Lovely Dorleans has found the strength to overcome some of life’s toughest challenges. Forced to flee her homeland of Haiti due to 2010’s devastating earthquake, she arrived in Mount Dora, FL, that same year unable to speak English and facing an uncertain future. During a visit to the Lake Cares, Inc. food pantry for food a few months later, she was touched by the care she received at the organization and offered to volunteer her services to help others in need.
In the two years since arriving in the United States, Lovely has learned to speak English, received her GED, became a certified nursing assistant and landed a job at CVS/pharmacy store #5452 in Mount Dora. She now has her own apartment and strives to go back to school to become a registered nurse.
“The people at Lake Cares and my store are like my family. They make me feel really loved. It feels good to know that I am doing something positive with my life,” says Lovely.
Founded in 2009 as a resource to support the needs of hungry families, Lake Cares provides food to the homeless, seniors, disabled and working poor in Lake County. More than 200,000 pounds of food and 15,966 clients were served last year alone.
Committed to helping the organization that helped her when she first came to America, Lovely encouraged her fellow store colleagues – Tom Butterworth, Patricia Main, Tiffany Wotjas, Nancy Baxter, Donna Ellison, Michelle Cruz-Antimano, Patrick Gutierrez and Betty Francis – to volunteer their services as well. In acknowledgement of their dedication to Lake Cares, the team was recently awarded a CVS Caremark Volunteer Challenge Grant to benefit the organization. The grant will be used to help stock the food pantry and will provide clients with personal hygiene items.
Lake Cares Executive Director Irene O’Malley is grateful for the team’s assistance and acknowledges the difference that they have made.
"The employees from CVS have been a real blessing to this community. Without their help, our clients would not be able to have those personal items that make their life just a little more comfortable. We are all so grateful.”
Related link: Learn more about CVS Caremark Volunteer Challenge Grants.
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
On a Mission to Wipe Out ALS
Representing CVS Caremark on a tour of the Neuro Therapeutics Institute are RX Supervisor Jim Yovino and Region Manager Ericka Kerr.
A $1 donation made at a CVS/pharmacy checkout may seem like a nominal amount, but as the researchers and scientists at the ALS Therapy Alliance (ATA) can attest, it goes a long way in aiding their mission to find a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. In 2011, $4.3 million was raised from the “Researching a Cure” in-store campaign. In total, $28 million has been raised since the partnership began in 2002, making CVS Caremark the largest corporate donor to the ATA.
The ALS Therapy Alliance was founded in 2000 to provide a vehicle for a diverse group of scientists and clinicians to coordinate research related to ALS. Scientists involved in the ATA are affiliated with leading universities and medical centers throughout the country.
ALS is a disorder in which there is progressive degeneration of motor nerves in the brain and spinal cord leading to paralysis and death, typically within three to five years. There is no known cause or cure for ALS, which affects 25,000 Americans, with 5,000 new cases diagnosed each year.
A group of colleagues from CVS Caremark recently toured the labs at the Neuro Therapeutics Institute at the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester and witnessed firsthand the great strides that the ATA team is making in finding a cure for ALS.
Region Manager Ericka Kerr was one of the attendees and left the tour impressed with what she saw. “I feel privileged to have the opportunity to observe the inspirational work that the ATA researchers are doing, and it makes me proud that CVS supports such a worthy organization.”
Scientists and clinicians from an array of ALS research groups meet at regular intervals to discuss their findings and implement new trials. Many of these meetings have received funding from the ATA and CVS Caremark partnership. In 2011, CVS Caremark funded 10 new awards to the groups, a number that will grow to nearly 20 in 2012.
“With the wonderful support of CVS Caremark, the ATA has been able to develop several parallel ALS research projects that are unprecedented and extremely promising,” says ATA President Dr. Robert Brown. “At ATA, we want to put ourselves out of business, and CVS Caremark is helping us do that.”
With the continued help of CVS Caremark’s colleagues and customers, Dr. Brown’s words may one day prove to be true.
Learn more about the ALS Therapy Alliance at www.alstherapyalliance.org.
Learn about how the fight against ALS is helping colleague Treg Charlton, who is battling the disease. http://mylife/My%20Company/News/Pages/MovingTowardaCure.aspx
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Greetings from ... Lewiston, N.Y.
Pictured from left: Store Manager Mark Bleecher, Janet Karnes, Lynda Porter, Patty Oravec and Cathy Girard. Just 10 minutes from the mists of Niagara Falls, the town of Lewiston, N.Y., blends small-town charm with a metropolitan artsy vibe. Home to unique shops, rustic clap board houses, renowned art festivals and world-class restaurants, the historic village sits on the Niagara River, just across from Canada.
It’s also home to CVS/pharmacy Store #552. Housed in a former supermarket on bustling Center Street, the store has been providing for the health care and everyday needs of its loyal patrons for 17 years. Store Manager Mark Bleecher has been at the helm for the past 10, while Pharmacist Janet Karnes and Pharmacy Technician Lynda Porter have been there from the start.
Although the majority of its customers hail from western N.Y., the store is no stranger to bargain-savvy Canadians looking to cash in on ExtraCare savings or deals from the weekly circular. Tourists visiting nearby Fort Niagara, or in town to attend a concert at ArtPark, often stop in to buy items for the trip home or to grab emergency prescription refills.
Mark and his veteran team are proud of the relationships they have established within the community.
“My team goes out of its way to know the customers, and in return they get to know us,” says Mark. “It’s exciting to manage a store with such a community feel to it. We are fortunate to have the opportunity to deliver world-class service to our customers. They are truly a pleasure to serve.”
On an average week, that service – at least in the pharmacy – translates to more than 1,500 prescriptions filled.
For Mark, it all adds up to a lifestyle of “retail utopia.”
“I get to manage a great group of colleagues, serve the needs of the community, and work in one of the nicest towns around,” he says.
Bridges to Health
After witnessing firsthand the excellent care her cousin received as a patient at Bridges to Health primary care health clinic, Ginny Stephenson, Lead Technician at CVS/pharmacy Store #2484 in Marion, Ind., was inspired to support their cause through volunteering. Five years later, her commitment to help the area’s disadvantaged residents has not wavered. For her dedicated service, Ginny was recently recognized with a CVS Caremark Volunteer Challenge Grant to benefit the nonprofit.
Like CVS Caremark, Bridges to Health is committed to helping people on their path to better health and provides free medical care and health education services to individuals and families who lack adequate financial resources. Ginny is especially pleased that the grant money was used to purchase much-needed diabetic supplies.
Ginny is affectionately called the “Queen of the Med Room” by the Bridges to Health staff. When the clinic was relocated a year ago, Ginny spent her vacation overseeing the design and set up of the revamped Medication Room where she works two days a week sorting and tracking medications.
Thinking back to how Bridges to Health provided great support for her family, Ginny feels fortunate to be able to do the same for others.
“Knowing that my work has made a difference in someone’s life has given me a feeling of satisfaction that is hard to describe,” Ginny says. “I know I will continue to volunteer and I look forward to the opportunity to apply for another Volunteer Challenge Grant next year.”
Ginny’s service to Bridges to Health, and in turn to the Grant County community, has been invaluable, according to Kristi Hawkins, Clinic Administrator at Bridges to Health.
“We are forever grateful for Ginny’s presence, and don’t know what we’d do without her,” says Kristi.
Related link: Learn more about CVS Caremark Volunteer Challenge Grants
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Free Pharmacy Advice - No Questions Asked
Sarah Freytag (right) counsels a patient along with Pharmacy Supervisor Melissa Groover and Pharmacist Greg Naseman during a recent Ask the Pharmacist session.
When Pharmacy Supervisor Sarah Freytag attended an Emerging Leaders class two years ago, the attendees were challenged by the facilitator to apply for a CVS Caremark Volunteer Challenge Grant for their respective districts. Sarah took the message to heart and contacted Sharon Cecil, the founder and executive director of We Survive Inc. in Louisville, Ky. Like CVS Caremark, We Survive is an organization committed to helping people on their path to better health. The group helps underserved citizens cope with the stresses of daily life through a variety of outreach programs and activities.
Sarah learned that an Ask the Pharmacist program had been in place but was no longer active, and decided that revitalizing it would be the perfect way to volunteer her time with We Survive. Since early 2011, Sarah has facilitated the program at a local shelter. There disadvantaged area residents can ask questions and get free, practical advice on health and medication concerns. Sarah’s efforts to keep this population informed were recently recognized with a $1,500 CVS Caremark Volunteer Challenge Grant awarded to We Survive.
The Volunteer Challenge Grant will be used by We Survive to help provide educational opportunities, materials and supplies for the Ask the Pharmacist program. Sarah is thankful for the additional financial support that will allow We Survive to continue its mission of helping those who need it most.
“It’s great that CVS supports its employees in giving back to the community. This empowers them to make a difference at a local level,” says Sarah. “A $1,500 Challenge Grant can go a very long way for many nonprofit organizations.”
The grant will also be used to enhance the scope of the Ask the Pharmacist sessions to allow for one of the pharmacists in Sarah’s District, Ije Eneh, to present on subjects such as hypertension and hypercholesterolemia. Additional topics will be introduced in forthcoming sessions.
“You have no idea how much these funds mean to We Survive,” says Sharon Cecil. “We are so fortunate to have caring people like Sarah volunteering her time to better the lives of the underserved residents of this area. We are more than grateful.”
Learn more about We Survive at http://wesurvive.org/.
For more information on the CVS Caremark Volunteer Challenge Grant program and to learn more about local opportunities, visit the Community Relations department page on myLife.
Related link: Learn more about CVS Caremark Volunteer Challenge Grants.
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Greetings from ... Cleveland
Store Manager Keith Asamoto, second from left, poses with members of the Shaker Square store team.
Cleveland’s Shaker Square is home to a dynamic group of shops, restaurants and entertainment venues, and serves as the hub for a diverse neighborhood of more than 200,000 people. The 83-year- old shopping center (known as “The Square” to locals) is the second-oldest in the nation, and the first in Ohio.
In addition to its shops, entertainment options and restaurants, The Square also boasts one of the most visually striking CVS/pharmacy storefronts in the region – Store #4350. Housed in a white, shingled Georgian-inspired building, CVS/pharmacy joined the Shaker Square community in 2007.
Responsible for keeping the busy store running efficiently is Store Manager Keith Asamoto. Most days Keith can be found cheerfully greeting customers, checking product inventory and overseeing more than two dozen store colleagues.
Keith has enjoyed a 30-year career in retail pharmacy, which he began just minutes away from what is now the Shaker Square location. He began working at Revco in high school, and joined our company when CVS/pharmacy acquired the chain. He says that growing up locally gives him a unique perspective on the needs of his customers.
“Being in this store gives me the opportunity to serve the people of the community that I grew up in, and the diverse neighborhood keeps things interesting,” says Keith. “Meeting and helping customers of different cultures gives me a view of the world right in my own store. That is a learning experience and a joy in itself.“
The store is visited frequently by the numerous young professionals and college students who live in the apartments surrounding The Square. They rely on CVS/pharmacy for their everyday living essentials and household products, and the online photo processing center has proven popular for staying in touch with out-of-state family members.
Ever receptive to the needs of its senior customers, the store provides a delivery service to those in assisted-living facilities and for care-givers who are unable to pick-up prescriptions or health-related items in person. Much like the columns that support the front of its building, Store #4350 continues to be a solid presence in the Shaker Square community that it serves and supports.
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Taking PRIDE in Logistics Best Practice Award
Tom McHugh, Director of Network Implementation, accepts the 2011 Supply Chain Distinction North America Award on behalf of CVS Caremark while colleagues Kathy Shafer (left), and Janne Tavarozzi look on.
Logistics colleagues were recognized for improving distribution center procedures as their innovative efforts led to CVS Caremark claiming the 2011 Supply Chain Distinction Award North America in the Logistics Best Practice Category. The awards were announced in early December at the annual Supply Chain Logistics Summit held in Dallas, Texas.
The Logistics Best Practice Award recognizes companies that drive logistics excellence throughout the organization through the development of efficient, sustainable and cost-effective strategies. CVS Caremark received this year’s award for a multi-year process improvement and technology integration program across our entire distribution network that significantly reduced the cost of operations while improving productivity and customer service.
Central to the CVS Caremark Logistics organization’s success was a cultural and change management framework called Personal Responsibility in Delivering Excellence (PRIDE) that accompanied the implementation of several innovative process and technology improvements over a four-year period. This included the integration of a new warehouse management system for inventory and workflow, a labor management system for performance measurement and employee incentives, a route optimization program for managing store delivery schedules and routes, and an inbound freight appointment and visibility system.
CVS Caremark’s implementation of PRIDE and supporting processes and technologies across 18 distribution centers involving more than 7,000 associates resulted in significant productivity improvements, a reduction in costs and inbound transit times, and improved on-time store delivery performance.
“Our 7,300 CVS/pharmacy stores serve more than 4 million customers daily, so it is critical that our distribution network operates at best-in-class efficiency to ensure that the products our customers want are delivered to our stores in a timely manner,” says Ron Link, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain and Logistics at CVS Caremark. “Receiving the Logistics Best Practice Award is a testament to the outstanding and innovative work accomplished by our Logistics team, our suppliers and transportation providers, and our colleagues from around the company.”
For more information about the 2011 Supply Chain Distinction Awards North America, visit http://supplychainawardsna.com/winners2011.asp.
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Helping People on Their Path to Better Health - Roxane's Story
Roxane Perez MinuteClinic, Nurse Practitioner Yorba Linda, CA
Keeping our nation’s highways safe is important for everyone, but especially for companies who rely on the services of interstate commercial truck drivers. In the interest of public safety, every commercial driver on the road today, including those who work for CVS, is required to take a U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) physical exam every two years. This health certificate carries as much importance as their CDL license.
When they come to my MinuteClinic for an exam, I’m ensuring these drivers are medically fit to operate their vehicles. Take, for instance, the young truck driver who came to see me to renew his certificate. Before his examination, he indicated that he felt fine and had no known health issues. His urine sample, however, revealed traces of blood and I immediately sent him for further testing where a tumor was found on his kidney. After consulting with his primary physician and meeting with me for further clearance, he is now recovering and back doing what he loves most – driving his truck.
I’m proud to work for a company that provides a convenient place for our country’s truck drivers to get the care they need. It’s great to play a role in keeping them on the “road” to better health.
CVS Caremark Corporate Internship Program – Summer 2012
To: All Colleagues
From: David Valois, VP, Talent Acquisition
Date: February 20, 2012
Re: CVS Caremark Corporate Internship Program – Summer 2012
We’re putting out the call for talented college students interested in an internship with CVS Caremark. Through our Corporate Internship Program, we offer high-quality, real-world work experiences that allow our interns to contribute directly to company programs and initiatives. We strive to recruit the very best candidates to fill these internship positions. Following their internship, many participants have returned to the company in a full-time capacity after graduating.
We offer Corporate Summer Internship positions in a variety of different corporate functions including Advertising, Corporate Communications, Finance/Accounting, Human Resources, Information Technology, Investor Relations, Logistics/Distribution, Marketing, Merchandising, Real Estate and Store Operations.
Internships last for 10 weeks and are available in: - Northbrook and Buffalo Grove, Ill. - Irving and Richardson, Texas - Scottsdale and Phoenix, Ariz. - Solon, Ohio - Pittsburgh - Woonsocket, R.I.
Please refer interested undergraduate students entering their junior or senior year in the fall of 2012, or graduate students entering their first or second year in the fall of 2012, to the internship website at http://www.cvscaremarkinternship.com/. Students must be enrolled in a degree program to be eligible to participate in the program. Children of CVS Caremark colleagues are encouraged to apply. Applications are due March 9. Interviews take place in March and April, and the program runs June 4-August 10.
Thank you for your help in continuing to build this exciting, expanded college hiring initiative. Other internships may be available in Retail Management through select store locations and Logistics Management through select distribution center locations. Details are available at http://www.cvscaremarkinternship.com/.
Contact Andrea Juliano at (401) 770-4313 if you have questions.
Greetings from ... Woonsocket, R.I.
Woonsocket, R.I., has long served as our company’s corporate headquarters. It is now also home to one of our newest flagship retail locations, as Store #590 officially opened its doors for business earlier this month.
Local dignitaries and CVS representatives recently gathered for the store’s grand opening ceremony, ushering in a new era of shopping convenience in the area. A steady stream of customers stopped by the store to celebrate and take advantage of the advertised deals and free product samples being offered throughout the day.
The nearly 13,000-square-foot store brings together colleagues from two former Woonsocket CVS locations, one at Diamond Hill Road and the other at Cass Avenue. Those stores were closed to make way for the larger Chipman’s Corner address. The original Cass Avenue location had a storied history with the company, having served as a launching pad for the careers of many longstanding CVS colleagues over the years.
The new flagship store features an expanded selection of grocery and convenience items, a wider range of health and beauty products, a digital photo café and a double-lane drive-thru window.
"We're pleased whenever we see new retail stores opening up in the city," says Woonsocket Economic Development Director
Matthew Wojcik. "But we're especially pleased The newest CVS/pharmacy flagship store at Chipman's when CVS, a business that came to maturity in Corner opened its doors for business this month. the city, has a bright, new flagship store so close to their corporate headquarters."
CVS/pharmacy has a long history of serving the communities and customers from the Woonsocket area, and with the opening of the new store at Chipman’s Corner, that legacy continues.
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Helping People on Their Path to Better Health - Kit's Story
Kit O’Neill-Conover Nurse Practitioner MinuteClinic
I knew health care was my calling when I first volunteered as a candy striper at the local hospital. It was there that I learned the importance of patient education and the power of compassionate care. As a nurse practitioner at MinuteClinic, those early lessons have served me well. Patients put their trust in me to make the right decisions for their well- being, and my commitment to helping them on their path to better health never wavers.
I recall a diabetic man who came in to my clinic with a low-grade fever and complaining of back tenderness. After checking his vital signs, I immediately referred him to the emergency room. There, he was diagnosed with a ruptured appendix and peritonitis. After his recovery, his wife came back to thank me and said that without my guidance her husband would have died. To me, there is no better reward in the world than a "thank you” from our patients and those who care for them. It reminds me that I am right where I am supposed to be.
My work at MinuteClinic is the most rewarding yet in my career. It is great to work for a company that shares my passion for helping others, and offers an affordable, welcoming place for patients to get the care they need.
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Developing Your Medical Neighborhood
If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes the right partnerships to improve health care delivery for patients.
To promote better preventative and disease management care, MinuteClinic has forged affiliations focused on clinical care, information systems and pharmacy care with 15 major health systems across the country. These affiliates include some of the nation’s leading hospitals, clinics and physicians.
In 2009 the first affiliation was formed with the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, while the most recent partnership was finalized earlier this year with TriStar Health, the largest and most comprehensive health system in Middle Tennessee.
What's Next? By combining experience and resources, the affiliations are expanding patients’ health care For starters, MinuteClinic is options and fashioning an extended medical expanding the scope of services neighborhood. it provides to greater emphasize wellness, prevention, and on-site For example, doctors from the affiliated health testing for chronic medical systems are available as on-call medical directors for conditions. the affiliated MinuteClinics, and have opened the doors to the health care systems for the 50 percent For patients with conditions such of clinic patients who report having no medical home. as hypertension, diabetes and Health system physicians collaborate with clinicians asthma, that will mean access to to provide oversight, education services and back up additional coordinated services support. The health systems also accept patients who and health monitoring need a level of care that is not provided at opportunities, including lifestyle MinuteClinic. coaching, disease education, and in the future, medication MinuteClinic and their affiliated partners have begun management. to work toward fully integrating their electronic medical record systems to streamline communication By treating these chronic around all aspects of an individual’s care. Each diseases, clinicians will help affiliated MinuteClinic will have access (with patient patients reduce the risk of consent) to a patient’s electronic medical record – morbidity and death. which includes medical history, prescription, treatment and health maintenance information.
“These electronic health records will enable the flow of information between MinuteClinic providers and physicians, and allow for continuity of care and the development of a virtual medical neighborhood,” says MinuteClinic president Andy Sussman, M.D.
“Our health system partners have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to improving the health and well-being of a diverse community of patients, and share MinuteClinic’s mission to make access to high-quality health care services more accessible,” says Andy. “The collaboration between our team of physician assistants, nurse practitioners and our affiliate physicians serves to develop a clinical care network that meets the growing health care needs of the community.”
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Helping People on Their Path to Better Health - Tori's Story
Tori Darnley Regional Training Manager, MinuteClinic Temecula, Calif.
Washing your hands is a simple task, but not every child is taught how to complete that task correctly. Hand washing is the best defense against bacteria and viruses that cause infection. It's especially important in schools, where students frequently share their desks, food, and germs. I have seen young patients treated for illnesses that could have been prevented simply by practicing good hand hygiene.
I often visit schools to educate children on the relationship between germs and sickness, showing them how proper hand washing is the first step on their path to better health. Because germs can’t be seen or heard, I invented the “Bug Box,” as a fun way for children to see the effects of incorrect hand washing. Using an iridescent "germ" gel and a small black light, students place their hands in the box and witness how quickly germs spread from hand to hand. To the children, their hands are clean but the ultra-violet light often tells a different story.
I’m glad I work for a company that provides me with the freedom to turn creative ideas into practice and deliver valuable health lessons that kids will use for the rest of their lives.
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Aging Gracefully
Aging in America Conference Co-Chair, David Casey, Vice President of Workforce Strategies and Chief Diversity Officer at CVS Caremark, addresses attendees in Washington, D.C. Getting older is something we all face. And while everyone handles that inevitable transition differently, CVS Caremark is in a unique position to make the process easier for the more than 10,000 baby boomers reaching 65 every day for the next 18 years – especially when it comes to health care.
That was the message delivered last week by David Casey, our Vice President of Workforce Strategies and Chief Diversity Officer, at “Aging in America” the 2012 Annual Conference of the American Society on Aging.
“We think a lot about the [health care needs of older Americans] every day. In fact, our primary goal is to reinvent pharmacy for better health,” said David, who co-chaired the event. “But to do this for the Boomer population, you can’t follow a road map – it frankly doesn’t exist. For one thing, these folks are a very different generation. They feel younger, they’re working longer, they’re more active. They’re generally savvy, connected consumers who expect some help – but not handholding -- on their path to better health.”
“The initiatives we have underway to reinvent pharmacy are predicated on a partnership with our customers, a trusting relationship in which the pharmacist becomes a far more sophisticated and impactful part of the overall health care system,” he continued.
CVS Caremark also participated in a number of panels and workshops over the course of the conference that showcased our past, present and future focus on aging issues. We also introduced a General Session on the Political Landscape and Older Adults featuring House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, U.S. Rep Allyson Y. Schwartz (D-Penn.) and Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee.
"We have a unique understanding of what older Americans want from a pharmacy innovation company like CVS Caremark, and how to deliver on that promise. As we reinvent pharmacy, we intend to continue to be an active health care partner," added David. "Our participation in this conference reflects how passionate we are about that."
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Pharmacy Tech Program Provides a Prescription for Success
When opportunity knocked, Maryam Rowneki, a New Jersey college student and native of Afghanistan was ready to answer, thanks in large part to the training she received as an apprentice at CVS/pharmacy.
For the past three years, the Career Prescriptions for Success Program (CAPs), a partnership with CVS/pharmacy and the New Jersey Department of Labor/Office of Grants, has been providing an opportunity for New Jersey high school students to receive free pharmacy technician training with the goal of being hired after completion. Through this partnership, 27 high school seniors have transitioned into pharmacy technician positions in stores surrounding Mercer County (Trenton).
Maryam came to the United States from Afghanistan in 1999. Although she was old enough to enroll in third-grade, she had to begin her education in kindergarten classes because she did not speak English. As a teen, she discovered a passion for health care while volunteering at a local hospital, and followed that path to CVS/pharmacy, where she started work in 2009 as a pharmacy service associate, with dreams of one day becoming a pharmacist. When the CAPs program was launched – and she was accepted – everything seemed to be falling into place.
After four months of intensive training, Maryam obtained her New Jersey Pharmacy Technician license and has continued employment as a pharmacy technician at CVS/pharmacy Store #2870 in Trenton.
In addition to working 25 hours a week at the pharmacy, Maryam also attends Mercer County Community College where part of her tuition was covered by the CAPS program and grant. She is on schedule to graduate from the school in May, and is interviewing with pharmacy schools now.
To highlight her exemplary work as both a student and pharmacy technician, Maryam was recently invited to join the “College to Career” roundtable discussion at Mercer on the role community colleges have in helping students enter the work force and build careers. Dr. Jill Biden, a community college professor and the wife of Vice President Joe Biden, led the panel and praised CAPS for its role in “developing a flexible, highly-skilled 21st century workforce.”
“I’m so thankful for the opportunity that CVS/pharmacy has provided for me,” Maryam says. “I’ve gained valuable career experience and the money I’ve earned has helped me with expenses like books and transportation.
“I’m committed to becoming a pharmacist and I hope to be able to work for CVS/pharmacy after I graduate.”
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Helping People on Their Path to Better Health - Connie's Story
Connie Ikonomou Nurse Practitioner, MinuteClinic
In my job, I make decisions that impact people in ways that they remember for a lifetime. Patients come into our MinuteClinic every day seeking care for a variety of conditions, and my goal is the same for each one – to help them on their path to better health. It is a privilege to be their trusted advisor, knowing that my diagnosis and plan of care is often their first step to recovery.
I remember one specific patient visit. A young boy experiencing chest pain was brought in to see me, and I noticed that something was amiss with the sound of his breathing. I immediately referred him to the emergency room. There, he was diagnosed with a collapsed lung and walking pneumonia.
The emergency room doctor told the boy’s mom that my actions had helped save her son’s life. When the two of them came back to thank me after he had recovered, we celebrated with tears in our eyes.
Every day we provide compassionate, caring advice to people in their moment of need. As MinuteClinic nurse practitioners and physician assistants, this is what we are trained to do. Just as important, this is what I love to do.
I’m proud to work for a company that is making health care more accessible, more convenient and more affordable for people who often don’t know where else to turn.
Alamo Arrival: MinuteClinic Opens in San Antonio
MinuteClinic continued its national expansion this week, with the grand opening of two new walk-in clinics inside CVS/pharmacy stores in San Antonio. Residents and colleagues of the area now have easier access to high-quality, convenient and affordable health care right in their backyard. A third clinic is slated to open in the area later this year.
The thousands of PBM and retail colleagues who work and live nearby will not only be able to take advantage of the clinic’s extended hours, but also enjoy the no-copay* benefit available to employees and family members enrolled in the CVS Caremark medical plan.
For Todd Schroeder, Quality Manager in our San Antonio Customer Care Call Center, the opening of the new clinics could not have come at a better time.
“I am very excited to hear Minute Clinic is now in San Antonio,” says Todd, whose family has made numerous visits to urgent care over the past year. “The convenience of access to quality health care (with a $0 copay), coupled with the ability to immediately fill the prescriptions, all in one location, makes it ideal. We definitely look forward to it.”
Minute Clinic President Andrew Sussman, M.D., is especially excited that the clinic’s services are now available to area colleagues.
“We are committed to making our innovative model of care part of Texas’ efforts to broaden access to quality health services. Because of the overwhelmingly positive reception MinuteClinic has had in other cities in Texas, we are confident the new San Antonio clinics will develop into a highly valued community and colleague resource,” says Andy.
MinuteClinic launched its first retail clinics in Texas in 2006 and now has 45 walk-in clinics inside select CVS/pharmacy stores in the Austin, Dallas Fort-Worth, Houston and San Antonio markets. Clinics in San Antonio will operate from 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Saturday; and 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Sunday.
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Challenge Grant Helps Create New Beginnings
Pictured from left: Chris and Sandy Cook volunteer as mentors and class coordinators for Project Nehemiah.
For many recently released inmates, the transition back to their communities can be a difficult one. Without sufficient life-skills training and the trusted guidance of a mentor, family member or friend, more than 67 percent soon end up back behind bars.
Project Nehemiah is aiming to reverse that trend, or at least slow it down, with the help of two CVS Caremark colleagues and our Challenge Grant program. As volunteer class coordinators for the organization, Chris Cook, an advisor with the CVS Caremark Business Process Optimization team and his wife Sandy, a pharmacist with Specialty Pharmacy in Raleigh, N.C., teach a 21-week life-skills course designed to prepare inmates for their re- entry into society, covering everything from financial planning to anger management.
In acknowledgement of their dedication to Project Nehemiah, the Cook’s were recently awarded a CVS Caremark Volunteer Challenge Grant to benefit the organization. The grant will be used to assist discharged inmates, who are given only $40 upon release to find housing, clothing, employment and transportation.
Besides teaching in the classroom, Chris and Sandy also mentor inmates once they are released. The duo have smoothed the path from prison to home for several men by helping them settle into new residences, acquire jobs and driver’s licenses, even going fishing and camping together.
“Project Nehemiah is all about giving men who have made mistakes a second chance,” says Chris. “My wife and I are humbled by the opportunity we have been given to play a part in their lives and are extremely proud to work for a company that supports these efforts.”
Project Nehemiah’s Program Chairman Don Fulford is grateful for the Cook’s assistance and acknowledges the difference that the grant money has made.
“We are wonderfully blessed to have Chris and Sandy as a part of our team. The commitment that they and CVS have made to make a permanent change in the lives of these men is commendable, and we are more than thankful.”
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
CVS Caremark Hosts Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chaffee
Pictured from left: Josh Flum, Yolanda Baez, Chris DuPaul, Larry Merlo, Gov. Lincoln Chaffee, Jeff Bragg, Pete Simmons and Helena Foulkes. On Tuesday, Rhode Island Gov. Lincoln Chaffee paid a visit to our corporate headquarters in Woonsocket and saw firsthand how we are improving pharmacy care outcomes for our patients.
Chris DuPaul, Senior Director, Strategic Product Development and Pete Simmons, Director, Pharmacy Ops, Process Innovation, led the governor and members of the Northern Rhode Island Chamber of Commerce on a tour of the pharmacy lab within our model store. The store is part of our CVS/pharmacy Innovation Center and it serves as our main planning location for every CVS/pharmacy site across the country.
Pharmacists Jeff Bragg and Yolanda Baez demonstrated how a prescription moves in our stores, from drop-off to checkout, and modeled the innovative technology we use in every part of the pharmacy distribution chain. Chris explained how our store teams have helped millions get much needed prescription coverage through enrollment in Medicare Part D and how the Pharmacy Advisor program has continued to push into new, and more complex clinical interventions.
Other CVS Caremark attendees included, Larry Merlo, President & CEO, Helena Foulkes, EVP & Chief Health Care Strategy & Marketing Officer, and Josh Flum, Senior Vice President, Retail Pharmacy.
“We bring a unique perspective on how pharmacy care can improve health outcomes because of our integrated business model. To be able to show the governor what we do every day to help people lead healthier lives is invaluable,” says Helena.
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Business is “Booming”
Every seven seconds, one of 78 million Baby Boomers in this country turns 65. The sheer number of people from this generation that are living longer, healthier lives has created an unprecedented opportunity for CVS/pharmacy. Gaining their loyalty through products and services that are both practical and generate excitement is not just a good thing to do, it’s also good business.
So says Dr. Joseph Coughlin, director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology AgeLab, who addressed CVS Caremark colleagues in Woonsocket recently, presenting on the topic Great Expectations: Older Consumer Behavior and the Future of Retail Health.
In the years to come, he explained, demand for health and wellness innovations geared toward seniors is likely to increase sharply. Why? Among other things, today’s seniors have more discretionary money, greater expectations from technology, and increased responsibilities caring for both their own health as well as those of their family or loved ones.
The Retail Pharmacy of the Through a series of strategic initiatives, Future CVS/pharmacy is positioning itself to be the Thoughts on enhancing and making the physical drugstore of choice for seniors. This includes not shopping experience easier are also being only stocking products that cater to their shifting explored. Some ideas to be considered include, positioning shelves so older shoppers won't have lifestyle and health care needs, but creating a to stretch or bend down too much; making place where the relationship with their shopping carts smaller for greater flexibility; signage and packaging will have to take into pharmacist becomes a far more sophisticated, account failing eye sights, and product displays personal and impactful part of their retail will have to make it easier for people to make a choice. experience.
At the same time, it’s important to be subtle. “Boomers are getting older and if you want to The Retail Pharmacy Marketing team has forged court them, you'd better go out of your way not to make them feel old,” Coughlin says. (Watch a partnership with the MIT AgeLab to gain video) insight on everything from seniors’ in-store shopping habits, to how they read packages. A national advertising campaign targeted to seniors was launched last February as part of for our response to these shifting demographics, and as away to enhance our reputation with seniors.
“We’re heightening our sensitivity to the needs of this generation,” says Jaci Allen, Retail Pharmacy Marketing Manager.
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications
Colleagues Co-Chair Advancing Medical Research Campaign
Brenda Fox's son Lucas, who is 9, and daughter Hannah, 6, are both living with cystic fibrosis.
Treg Charlton, a regional director of real estate for CVS Caremark living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Brenda Fox, CVS/pharmacy store manager and parent of two children living with cystic fibrosis, are serving as co-chairs of this year’s Advancing Medical Research in-store campaign.
Treg was diagnosed with ALS in 2010, but is still working. While he has experienced weakened muscles throughout his body, one of the degenerating symptoms of the disease, he remains hopeful that researchers will soon find a cure. Along with his wife, Dianne, and two young daughters, Treg devotes a considerable amount of time and energy to advocacy for ALS causes.
“Like it or not, we all must play the hand we’re dealt. When you’re diagnosed with ALS, nothing can happen fast enough. Time spent complaining is time wasted. It’s a rare thing at this stage in the (ALS) journey to be able to walk, talk and help raise money. The opportunity is not lost on me and I’m privileged to have a role in this year’s campaign.” Brenda’s son Lucas, who is 9, and daughter Hannah, 6, are both living with cystic fibrosis. Brenda volunteers for her local Cystic Fibrosis Foundation chapter and also participates in the Foundation’s Great Strides Walk to raise money for the search for a cure.
“My family and friends keep me hopeful,
and my local CVS store has been so supportive of this cause. They have been Treg Charlton and his family devote a considerable amount of time and energy to advocacy for ALS causes. there ever since my kids were diagnosed to help out in any way they can. We can’t fight CF alone, but with the help of CVS associates and customers across the country, I know we can achieve amazing things,” says Brenda.
This year’s campaign runs through June 30. Visit http://www.cvs.com/alscff to donate or for more information.
Submitted by John Larson, Corporate Communications