CVS Health is expanding its Project Health no-cost health screening service to 14 new metropolitan areas including Jacksonville, the company announced Friday.The program, now in its 16th year in some areas, is aimed at helping people without regular access to health care understand their risk for chronic conditions and connect them to free or low-cost providers and services.
Through Project Health, the company hosts events at CVS Pharmacies, offering free biometric screenings including blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose level and body mass index to detect early risks of chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension and heart disease before they become life-threatening.
Following these screenings, participants have the opportunity to meet with a nurse practitioner who can provide referrals for treatment and advice on follow-up care, which CVS says is particularly important given that some people have delayed or put off primary care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
CVS says its Project Health events prioritize the safety of employees, customers and patients by following CDC COVID-19 guidelines.
"At the heart of our purpose of helping people on their path to better health is our commitment to breaking down the barriers for people to access quality and affordable health care, and we started Project Health to help address these barriers in at-risk communities," said Eileen Howard Boone, CVS SVP, corporate social responsibility and philanthropy, in a news release.
Last year, CVS Health made a nearly $600 million commitment to invest in initiatives that address inequality faced by Black people and other communities. The expansion of Project Health is part of the company's efforts to address social determinants of health that exist alongside racial and economic inequities, the company said.
Other Florida metro areas included in the Project Health expansion are Orlando and Tallahassee.
More information about the Project Health program is available here.
