WOONSOCKET, R.I., July 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS), in partnership with IBM (NYSE: IBM), today announced a $1.5 million commitment to the "Technology Solutions for Smarter Health" grant program in partnership with the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC). The grants will support the use of innovative technology in community health centers to increase patient engagement and to improve patient care and outcomes.

The "Technology Solutions for Smarter Health" grants will be awarded to community health centers nationwide that are in need of advanced technology that will help people on their path to better health. The grants will enhance technology infrastructure currently in place to help centers easily communicate and share health information with patients through secure electronic messaging. The advanced technology will also provide patients with the ability to view, download and transmit their health information online. 

"We know that community health centers are seeing an increase in the number of patients they care for as a result of changes in our health care system, which is why we are partnering to invest in innovative technology solutions that will give them additional ways to communicate with patients and provide them with easy access to their health information," said Eileen Howard Boone, President, CVS Caremark Charitable Trust. "We believe that the 'Technology Solutions for Smarter Health' program will provide community health centers and their patients with an opportunity to use technology in a meaningful way to help produce better health outcomes."

Today, more than 9,000 health center sites throughout the country are providing care for more than 22 million Americans. As local, community-based health care systems in rural and urban neighborhoods, health centers are able to provide direct health services that are both affordable and accessible.

"We're proud to support this important initiative," said Kyu Rhee, MD, MPP, Vice President and Chief Health Officer, IBM Corporation.  "For over 40 years, health centers have been such an important and essential part of the US health care system, especially for those who are poor and underserved.  Through this grant program, our goal is to enhance the community health centers' technology infrastructure and capabilities.  We know that these IT investments will bring key data, analytics, and insights for improving the health of the populations that community health centers serve."

The new "Technology Solutions for Smarter Health" program, in partnership with IBM, is in addition to the multi-million dollar, multi-year partnership between NACHC and CVS Caremark's foundation, The CVS Caremark Charitable Trust, which has awarded nearly 60 community health centers with "Innovations in Community Health" grants over the past two years to support the development of innovative, community-based programs and initiatives that focus on the treatment and management of chronic illnesses, specifically heart disease, diabetes, hypertension and asthma. The "Innovations in Community Health" grant program is helping to increase access to quality health care and produce better health outcomes while reducing costs for patients and health care systems.

"We are committed to supporting the identification and implementation of technology solutions to help our patients achieve and manage their best health," said Malvise A. Scott, Senior Vice President, Partnership and Resource Development of the National Association of Community Health Centers. "Through this collaborative effort, community health centers will leverage technology to better communicate with patients and enable patients to engage as partners in their healthcare."

About CVS Caremark
CVS Caremark is dedicated to helping people on their path to better health as the largest integrated pharmacy company in the United States. Through the company's more than 7,600 CVS/pharmacy stores; its leading pharmacy benefit manager serving more than 64 million plan members; and its retail health clinic system, the largest in the nation with more than 850 MinuteClinic locations, it is a market leader in mail order, retail and specialty pharmacy, retail clinics, and Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans. As a pharmacy innovation company with an unmatched breadth of capabilities, CVS Caremark continually strives to improve health and lower costs by developing new approaches such as its unique Pharmacy Advisor program that helps people with chronic diseases such as diabetes obtain and stay on their medications. Find more information about how CVS Caremark is reinventing pharmacy for better health at info.cvscaremark.com.

About the National Association of Community Health Centers
The National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) was founded in 1971. Its mission is to promote the provision of high quality, comprehensive and affordable health care that is coordinated, culturally and linguistically competent, and community directed for all medically underserved populations. For more information on the National Association of Community Health Centers, please visit http://www.nachc.com/. 

IBM
IBM has developed a thoughtful, comprehensive approach to corporate citizenship that we believe aligns with IBM's values and maximizes the impact we can make as a global enterprise. We focus on specific societal issues, including the environment, community economic development, education, health, literacy, language and culture.

For inquiries regarding this announcement contact
Joanne Dwyer
(401) 770-2898
Joanne.Dwyer@cvscaremark.com 

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SOURCE CVS Caremark Charitable Trust