WOONSOCKET, RHODE ISLAND — CVS Pharmacy, the largest pharmacy chain the US, announced in April that the company is looking to massively expand the number of hearing centers it has across the country. The company currently has a handful of hearing centers in select markets, which it launched in 2015, and it is now looking to build upon the success of those clinics.
According to sources with knowledge of the plans, as well as a report last week at Drug Store News, CVS wants to increase its hearing center footprint to approximately 50 locations.
In addition to the currently operating locations in Ohio, Texas, and DC area, the company is looking to expand significantly in the southeastern US and also open several locations across the state of California.
CVS Hearing Aid Centers: New Company Profit Center?
Eyeing success of the store-in-store format utilized by Costco’s hearing aid centers, resulting in a 20%+ year-over-year growth– and also seeing Boots Pharmacy’s success with hearing centers in the UK — CVS hopes its gamble on adding hearing centers will be attractive to its customers and boost the bottom line.
“Audio and optical services will not carry a large store footprint, the centers are housed adjacent to pharmacies and have square footage similar to MinuteClinics. It really allows us to have a nice health quadrant in the back of the store. It’s really nice as part of our commitment to care.” –Morgan Diaz, CVS senior director, health services
CVS currently has close to 10,000 locations across the US, making it one of the best known health brands.
What Hearing Aids Does CVS Sell?
We previously reported in 2015 that Sivantos is the sole hearing aid supplier
to CVS, under its Rexton label. However, sources tell HHTM that in the second half of 2017, two new hearing aid suppliers have been added to the company’s hearing clinic offerings.
Both Sonova, under its Unitron label, and William Demant, under its Bernafon label, are reported to be available at select CVS hearing centers in the US.
Update June, 2018: We have learned that now GN ReSound hearing aids will soon be available at CVS Hearing Centers in the US. Now, like its much larger competitor Costco, CVS will offer 4 different hearing aid manufacturers
to its customers.
*Images courtesy Wikipedia and CVS
