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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has confirmed a case of the H5N1 bird flu in a pig, the first time the virus has been detected in swine in the country, in today's bite-sized hospital and health industry news from Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington.
- Oregon: On Wednesday, USDA confirmed a case of H5N1 bird flu in a pig from a backyard farm in Oregon, marking the first time the virus has been detected in swine in the country. According to Reuters, pigs are a particular concern when it comes to the spread of bird flu because they can be infected by both bird and human viruses, which could then swap genes and form a new, more dangerous virus that can infect humans. In 2009-2010, pigs were the source of the H1N1 flu pandemic, and they have potentially been the source of other pandemics. However, Richard Webby, a virologist at St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, said that discovering the pig infection on a small farm is less worrisome than if it had been detected on a commercial pig farm. "I think it probably doesn't increase the risk much, but surely, if this virus starts transmitting in pigs, that absolutely increases the risk," Webby said. So far, USDA has said there is no risk to the country's pork supply from the Oregon infection and that the overall risk of bird flu to the public is low. Almost 40 human cases of bird flu have been reported this year, and all but one patient had been in contact with infected animals. (Douglas/Polansek, Reuters, 10/30; Stobbe, Associated Press/TIME, 10/30)
- Rhode Island: CVS Health announced that Aetna plan members in certain areas will be able to use the company's MinuteClinics as an in-network primary care provider. Currently, Aetna members in San Antonio, Houston, Atlanta, and south Florida will be able to select MinuteClinic as their primary care provider. Members in North Carolina will also be able to access the option in the coming weeks. These markets were chosen based on their patient density, demographics, and existing services. According to Creagh Milford, CVS' retail health president, the company has spent months investing in staffing, technology, and training at its MinuteClinic locations to expand primary care services. "We're seeing a lot of growth in the model," Milford said. "Our ambition is to move the patient perception and the payer perception from one of an episodic, acute care model toward a [longitudinal], relationship-based primary care model." Currently, CVS is in discussions with other health plans to potentially grow MinuteClinic's primary care footprint. (Hudson, Modern Healthcare, 10/29)
- Washington: Amazon announced that it plans to open 20 new pharmacies next year, with locations in Boston, Dallas, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, and San Diego. The pharmacies, which will be located at Amazon's same-day delivery sites, will allow customers to get their medications delivered more quickly. "There's often an important window of time after getting diagnosed when it's most vital to start your medication," said Vin Gupta, CMO at Amazon Pharmacy. "At Amazon, we're using our world-class delivery capabilities to get medicine to patients within hours of being prescribed. This rapid access increases the likelihood patients engage immediately in their care and adhere to treatment routines, which is shown to improve health outcomes." According to the company, almost half (45%) of its U.S. customers should be able to access same-day delivery for their prescriptions by the end of 2025. (Inklebarger, Supermarket News, 10/21)
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