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At a time when many retail pharmacies are rethinking their strategies and cutting back on primary care service offerings, Emory Healthcare Network and CVS Health are bucking that trend in Georgia.

Emory is expanding its relationship with CVS’ MinuteClinics in 35 locations. The that began in 2011 is evolving to provide more options for primary and preventive care throughout the Atlanta metro area that Emory Healthcare serves. It’s all part of Emory’s continuing push to look for meaningful ways to broaden access to primary care in the state and to address a shortage of critical providers, Emory Healthcare leaders note.

MinuteClinic primary care patients will have access to Emory Healthcare Network’s extensive resources, including hospitals, specialists, diagnostic and radiology facilities and specialty labs, making it easy for patients to receive additional care when needed.

Since the outset of their relationship, Emory and MinuteClinic have worked together to offer walk-in adult wellness exams or physicals and sick visits at various MinuteClinic locations. MinuteClinic nurse practitioners and other advanced practice providers staff the clinics and Emory physicians serve as collaborating physicians for the locations, which offer same-day visits and offer evening and weekend hours or virtual services that make care more convenient.

MinuteClinics largely serve younger, healthier patients, and their expectations around interacting with the health care system are unique, so having MinuteClinic as a network option expands the reach of primary care, Creagh Milford, D.O., president of retail health, recently told Fierce Healthcare.

And because both Emory and MinuteClinics use Epic electronic health records, it’s easier to keep the full care team abreast of patient encounters. CVS also has introduced training and new workflows for MinuteClinic staff to focus on such preventive care services as health maintenance visits, screenings and management of chronic conditions.