CVS MinuteClinic

I came in here with a head and throat cold that I had been symptomatic with for 2 weeks. I was told by the nurse practitioner to continue to take NyQuil and to try Afrin. I turned around and went to a real doctor’s office and was given a strep test that came back positive. The service from the nurse practitioners here is so bad that I won’t even get my prescriptions filled at a CVS anymore. — now a Walgreens customer by default.

First, I learned my lesson here. I should have gone to an PCP or Urgent Care.
It took almost almost 2 hours to be seen. One of the NP floated in around 9am called her first client in around 9:15. If this is the busiest location in GA as I was told, why isn’t CVS more aware and schedule people to begin at 8:30?
The NP I saw talked SO MUCH about herself, her resume, her friends and family, took phone calls, left the room, that no wonder the wait was 2 hours. I was not comfortable with my diagnosis. She used words and terms that meant nothing to me. I left with a bunch of OTC medication that I had already been using the 5 days I had been sick and my symptoms were worsening. Finally, before I left I said ‘What about an antibiotic’? NP took 5 minutes to tell me why antibiotics were bad. How her best friend past away from them. How they are being over used, etc. Clearly she didn’t want to prescribe one to me. She said, ‘OK. I will put one on a 48 hour hold for you to come back and get if you are not better.’ Pharmacy let me fill it and leave.
(People DO over use antibiotics. I don’t like meds and don’t take them ever unless I am sick! Every 1 – 2 years.)
Never again Minute Clinic. Lesson learned… should have read reviews too on Unilocal and other sites as it seems I’m not the only one.

I’ve typically had a good expire once here. They are usually quick and professional. I had to wait a while once because someone came in with a medical emergency but that person should have gone to a hospital not minute clinic so the delay was because they called an ambulance.

New guy «Doug» looks sloppy… dirty shirt, messy hair, shirt looked purposely unbuttoned to expose tattoo. Come on guys…

My first time to this clinic. I wanted to get a vaccination at end of year as my insurance would pay. I called around to find out who would carry this vaccination and was told they would by the national toll free number. I went in, and fortunately they had one left!
Upon sign in I could see a long list of names. It said 4 ½ hour wait. It also lets you give a phone # and it texts you 30 min before. So I went home and turned on my cell to wait. It worked! I was going to go eat, but you cant leave your car there!
Got the vaccination, nurse was great, and all went well. This was on a SUN when all else is mostly closed so maybe the waits are longer on Sundays. At least you have the option to enter a cell, get a text, and then run over so you don’t have to sit with all these sick people for hours. They put out a box of free masks to wear and a sign that asks you to wear one if your sneezing, coughing, etc. Nobody did. C’mon people!!!

Very unprofessional for the web site to say they take people up until 7:15 pm and no longer, and when you show up at 7:10 (with five minutes to spare) you still get turned away with the lame excuse of everyone takes 20 minutes to see so sorry we can’t see any more people. THEN CHANGE YOUR WEB SITE TO SAY, WE DON’T TAKE PATIENTS PAST 7:10 OR BETTER YET, 7:00!
I even called before leaving the house and the phone message says they let you sign in on the computer up to 15 minutes before closing. Hey, CVS, do you care at all about the health of your customers or about your very strict rules (that you actually don’t even follow, but break!) From some of the other Unilocalers comments, this is more the norm at this location. I don’t mind following rules, but make it clear on the web sites and phone message. I traveled all the way to this location in time to have my friend seen by someone (I thought), only to have to go somewhere else. I wasted time and gas. Very disappointed!

What a waste of time! You’re better off going around the corner to one of the urgent care places on Ponce.
I got there right at 8:30 when the clinic is supposed to open, but found the place dark. There was one person already waiting. Someone from the pharmacy informed us that the nurse was running late. She arrived about 20 minutes later, then took another 10 or so to putter around and get «set up.» I was finally taken back nearly an hour and a half after my arrival because it took her 45 minutes to see the first patient.
I had a sinus infection. This was confirmed by the nurse, though I’m not sure how because really none of the questions she asked me had anything to do with my symptoms. She refused to write me a prescription for anything but Flonase because she said my blood pressure was too high to take anything else. I don’t generally have high blood pressure — so what was the problem?
Well, first off, I waited almost an hour and a half before seeing a nurse, after she came out and recommended that everyone waiting DRIVE TO ANOTHER CVS because she was so behind. Then, before getting to the part about my sinus infection, the nurse asked me how much I weigh and then tried to give me information on a weight-​coaching program! Hint: I’M NOT THAT FAT.
She then suggested that I come back in five days to have my blood pressure checked. I told her I don’t have time for that and promptly left. I still have a sinus infection.
THANKS A LOT, CVS!

Been there with my 3 year old and rapidly treated for conjunctivitis. Went there today, tested +ve for strep and was given antibiotics. Yes, today I Had to wait an hour but the service was more focused than most doctors, who just glance at you for minute between doing 10 other things after a nurse has already made the diagnosis.

Don’t waste your time with CVS Minute Clinics.
After having swollen tonsils for 2+ weeks I made a visit to get some antibiotics for what seemed like a bacterial infection (a friend infected at the same time as me had received that diagnosis).
I arrived right before the clinic was supposed to open and found two people ahead of me. The nurse arrived 20 minutes late and said she had driven to the wrong store.
Minute Clinic’s name implies speedy, in-​and-​out service, right? Imagine my dismay when the first patient was in the diagnosis room for a staggering 45 minutes. The only nurse on staff actually came outside to tell people in line to drive to another CVS!
This is a good time to note that there are two rooms at this clinic, but only one was manned. This didn’t add up with the nurse’s assertion that this is the «busiest Minute Clinic in Georgia»
All in all I spent $ 150 and 2 hours of my time to be told that I have a sore throat and to gargle salt water. They will not prescribe antibiotics unless you test positive for strep.
For the same amount of money and less time I could have actually seen a real doctor and gotten more effective treatment. Minute Clinics are basically an urgent care clinic without the ability to write prescriptions and staffed only by nurses.

Friendly and helpful. Knowledgeable staff, downside is that waits are often long here. Especially if you walk in in the afternoon. Plan ahead.

Quick and easy especially for minor issues and vaccines.

This would have been an awesome visit, but the NP was in training. And the trainer was «Rude». The NP trainee Stephanie was friendly and nice. However, the trainer (african black female) was so rude. She ask me what was wrong and I mentioned what I assumed and she said «I hate when people diagnose themselves, that’s what a doctor is for»… And then she proceeds to ask me how I came to that conclusion and never gave me a chance to explain. So I had to raise my voice to shut her down verbally. She was very overbearing and bossy!
I am praying for Stephanie that she will make it through training because I can only imagine how she is as a trainer… scary!
I give Stephanie 5 stars… :)
Overall, I walked right in, registered, and was seen 2 mins later. I had never heard of the Minute Clinic before and my PCP was too far to drive to, so I decided to try it. I would go back again… but only for Stephanie. :)

Let me put this out there: I’m clumsy. I tripped over bolts in the floor in a parking garage on Wednesday night, which caused my foot to bleed, at which point I realized that it’s been 13 years since my last tetanus shot. Have you seen the Wikipedia page for tetanus? Frightening! I don’t have a primary care physician, since I haven’t been to a general practitioner since I moved to Atlanta five years ago, so I wanted to avoid the wait for a new patient appointment and just hit a clinic.
I arrived at 4:45pm on a Friday night. There were three people ahead of me in the waiting room. The LPN took my phone number, said it would be about an hour, let me know that there was a Minute Clinic near Emory with no wait, and said she’d call me when it was my turn. I took a walk through the neighborhood, came back, and waited almost exactly the hour it took for my name to be called.
The LPN was wonderful: friendly, cheerful, funny. She gave me my tetanus shot and my insurance covered it with no copay, even! We laughed about the fact that I was there on a Friday night… clearly I’m getting older if that’s my idea of a fun Friday night!
All in all, this was a painless experience. Sure, there was a bit of a wait, but bring a book and you’ll be fine! Next time I get sick, I’m coming here.

Seems to me the people with negative experiences are
1. people who didnt get what they TOLD the practitioner they wanted. . oh excuse me. needed
2. are people paying cash– seems like when you pay cash the entitlement issue comes to the surface
Bottom line– antibiotics aren’t always the answer– you may think they are but they are not. Period. No magic pills, no potions, time gets rids of viruses– follow the timeline– people who say I took one pill and already felt better are — surprise– on their 5^th or 6^th day of illness and things are on the improvement side anyways.
If you want to just get a prescription on demand then yes, go to an urgent care– they will give it to you not because you NEED it but again for another 2 reasons
1. they want your good $ 75 –100 co pay with insurance or your whopping 175 – 190 cash
2. they have much more serious people to care for– they have neither the time nor interest in arguing with you about your «sinus infection» you’ve had a whole 3 days!

I’ve been to this location for myself and my daughter several times since they first opened up several years ago. Initially it worked out fine and was very convenient since we could go after work or school & on weekends. As time progressed and they became more popular, the wait time became ridiculous, however, you would still be seen. The last 2 times, we arrived at 5pm and were told no further appts were accepted (looks like they now close at 7:30pm, it use to be 8pm). Anyway, I don’t blame the nurse practioners as they can only see so many people but the entire reason we were goin there was becaue of the non-​tradional hours — now we don’t even waste our time — we end up seeing our regular doctor and miss school/​work,

I was concerned that I had strep throat and it was the weekend so I gave Minute Clinic a try. I got there at 9am when they opened and was the 2^nd person in line.
The touchscreen check in was easy and I only waited about 10 minutes.
My screening was much more comprehensive than I was expecting and made me feel better about going there. On the other hand the 4 people that were in the waiting room when I was done are all going to have to wait 10+ minutes for each person in front of them, so I can see that being a drag.
I’m sure that I would not have gotten an appointment same day, and my Doctor’s office would have made me wait longer anyway.
I would go back in a pinch.

This is one of the largest and nicest run CVS pharmacies I’ve been to.
I had been sick for almost a month, and decided it was time to see someone. I went to the minute clinic at this CVS, and was the first person there, which was nice because I didn’t have to wait an hour or more like I have at other CVS minute clinics.
The nurse was SO NICE and understanding, and it turns out my nasty cough I couldn’t get rid of was acute bronchitis and a sinus infection. Got my meds, and on the way out noticed the redbox, and picked up some movies to watch while being sick. Overall this is best minute clinic and cvs experience I’ve had. I’m already feeling loads better!

This had become the place that I generally go when I get too sick to handle it. The last time I was sick, I’d been fighting symptoms for ten days, and was happy to be prescribed some antibiotics for what the nurse practitioner determined to be a sinus infection.
This particular morning, I had developed an incredibly nasty sore throat, one that I was pretty sure had to be strep. I’ve had strep enough times to know how a strep sore throat feels compared to a regular cold sore throat. Plus I didn’t have any cold symptoms so I figured I’d go in and get this taken care of quickly.
When I got called in, there were three people in the exam room: a nurse practitioner, an Emory grad student, and the grad student’s instructor. Okay, I know what it’s like to be an intern, I just finished student teaching, I’ll play along.
I just didn’t like the vibe though. I felt horrible, and it was just so awkward watching the nurse practitioner tell the student to do things to me. And she had to do everything, and it felt like she took extra long listening to my breathing and heart. Also, she asked me to take off my sweater for that. I don’t think that was necessary.
I don’t mind being the guinea pig, but what really sucked about this visit was that the rapid strep test came out negative, and they wouldn’t give me any antibiotics. They basically just printed me off a sheet that talked about what «pharyngitis (sore throat)» is and what I can do about it — gargle with salt water, eat chicken soup, etc. I just kind of felt like an idiot. I was like «if it’s not strep, what could it be?» and the nurse practitioner instructed the student to answer me. «It comes from a virus,» she said. Her Emory professor added, «sometimes you can have a virus that makes you feel just as awful.» Thanks for trying to make me feel better about feeling miserable. I still had to pay $ 134 for NOTHING (because I forgot my insurance card).
I can say with certainty that the next couple of nights after this were the absolute worst and most painful, sleepless experiences of my life. Gargling with salt water, eating chicken broth, sucking on lozenges, alternating ibuprofen with Tylenol… these things did not help the kind of pain I was having. I was waiting for them to call me and say the lab results came back positive, and I could get my antibiotics, but they never called.
After two miserable nights in a row, I decided to go to Doctor’s Express Urgent Care, where they prescribed me antibiotics even though their test also came out negative. Based on my history of strep (I get it a couple times a year), my debilitating state (I could not talk or swallow), and the way my throat looked to the doctor, he said it was probably strep. After one amoxycillin pill I already feel a ton better.
I can’t really blame the Minute Clinic for not giving me antibiotics — I get it — they’re not supposed to if the strep test is negative. But, I think I’m going to skip the Minute Clinic and go straight to Doctor’s Express next time. If I could have gotten antibiotics after my first clinic visit, I would have felt better already and wouldn’t have had to miss work on Monday.

Almost a year ago I hit up this Minute Clinic when I all of a sudden felt like I was going to die one weekend. I was mainly afraid that I had swine flu and possibly gave it to this 1-​year-​old I had spent a lot of time with a few days earlier. So I got some flu test and it was negative. Pretty simple. A little expensive for a ten-​minute visit, and I didn’t have any drugs to show for it. But quick and painless.
Oh, and in the end, it turned out that the 1-​year-​old had given ME the virus. His parents also got it, and that was a pretty horrendous weekend for all of us.

We live in a society of instant gratification. In medicine, this instant gratification frequently takes the form of easy to procure prescription drugs. Well my friends, this is not the case at the CVS Minute Clinic.
For the best possible experience, walk in there knowing your body, knowing what disease you have, and knowing the best way to kill it. Then, be prepared to fight tooth and nail for your prescription.
Of course, I did not take this advice. I walked in pretty sure that I had an ear infection, and two days later, I’m pretty sure I still have the same ear infection because all I got was a prescription for some numbing ear drops instead of the antibiotic I needed.
There was about an hour wait to see the Nurse Practitioner on a Sunday morning, and she sped through the seven patients ahead of me pretty quickly. Expect to spend about 10 minutes in the examining room. For a quick medical visit like mine, you can expect to pay $ 62 if your insurance does not cover it (mine did). However, considering I’ll probably need a follow up visit to my regular doc in the next couple of days, this is not really the bargain it seems.
The only upside? Well, they don’t weigh you so you can continue to live in ignorant bliss from the effects of all the «sick» food you’ve been eating. Mmm, chicken noodle soup, fruit smoothies, Italian ice… yum.