CVS Health is planning to acquire more primary care practices in the coming year and eventually expand specialty services at its clinics, Alan Lotvin, MD, CVS Health executive vice president and president of CVS Caremark, said during a Dec. 9 investor's call.
CVS Health is pivoting its focus at retail stores to advanced primary care centers, enhanced HealthHUB locations and CVS Pharmacy stores. While the company announced last month it plans to close 900 stores in the next three years to reduce density, it will also take a digital-first approach with its 35 million online members.
CVS Health now has more than 40,000 physicians, pharmacists, nurses and nurse practitioners in its network. With its new growth strategy, Dr. Lotvin said the company wants to go from delivering episodic care to longitudinal care and provide "everything you would see in a doctor's office."