A Medical Device Daily

Take Care Health Systems (Conshohocken, Pennsylvania), an operator of convenient care clinics and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens (Deerfield, Illinois), reported that it has signed a national contract with Aetna (Hartford, Connecticut), one of the nation’s largest diversified healthcare benefits companies, to become part of their national network of providers.

The contract with Aetna, which serves more than 15 million medical members, further broadens Take Care Health’s deep base of patients covered across the country, it said.

Take Care Health accepts the majority of insurance plans in each of their operating markets.

Its clinics are professional healthcare centers, staffed by nurse practitioners who treat patients for common illnesses such as strep throat, ear and sinus infections, pink eye and poison ivy, and are able to prescribe for the ailments they treat. Clinics are open seven days a week, with no appointments necessary.

“Aetna’s support for the convenient care model on a national level is a needed step toward further increasing access to quality, affordable and convenient health care for all individuals,” said Peter Miller, Take Care Health President and CEO. “Take Care Health is serving a critical need in the U.S. healthcare system by providing access to quality, affordable healthcare, while integrating with the medical community to deliver patient-first care. Americans have embraced the concept — we have seen nearly 200,000 patients with consistently high patient satisfaction rates since opening our first centers in November 2005.”

The contract with Aetna applies to all 56 Take Care Health Clinics nationwide. For the uninsured and cash payers, costs average $59 to $74.

Laerdal Medical (Wappingers Falls, New York) reported that group purchasing organization FirstChoice Cooperative (Tyler, Texas) has awarded it a three-year preferred contract for “Training — Education and Therapy Products.” The contract is effective through May 31, 2010.

FirstChoice members, specifically Acute Care Hospitals, EMS providers and University/Colleges will receive preferred pricing on a broad range of Laerdal products and services. Products include manikins, skills trainers, airway management devices and trainers, immobilization devices and American Heart Association resources. Contract introduction and awareness campaigns are underway for all FirstChoice members.