CVS is releasing a significant new update for its mobile app today, and many of the changes are detailed in this report from The Wall Street Journal. Aside from trying to simplify and speed up the process of picking up your prescriptions, the latest version also includes a feature that should make dealing with locked cabinets a bit less maddening. A trial that’s currently underway in three stores allows customers access the items on those shelves using their phone — without having to summon an overworked employee to open it first.
According to the Journal, “app users need to be logged in, on the local store Wi-Fi, and with their device’s Bluetooth enabled to activate the feature.” You’ve also got to be a member of the CVS loyalty program if you want the convenience of grabbing secured merchandise without calling for help. Signing up for that gives CVS plenty of insight into your shopping habits, so keep that in mind as you weigh the convenience of not waiting around.
“People really, really dislike locked cabinets,” Tilak Mandadi, executive vice president of ventures at CVS Health, told the Journal. Walmart has apparently come to the same realization, as the massive US retailer conducted a similar test last year. CVS aims to expand the program to around 15 stores soon and eventually reach national availability if all goes well.
The CVS Health app, which the company describes as “a successor to the CVS Pharmacy app,” also contains a healthy dose of AI features. Its search is now “enhanced and AI-powered,” and later this year, customers can expect a “new conversational AI chat experience that enables patients to check medication refills, status of their orders, and more.”
As for streamlining the in-store prescription process, the new app will show a personalized barcode that pharmacists can scan for a faster checkout. And if your health insurance is provided by the CVS-owned Aetna, you’ll be able to see the out-of-pocket cost upfront to avoid any surprises. The company is apparently working with other insurers to provide similar pricing transparency in the coming months.
The CVS app has 14.1 million monthly active users, which Mandadi told the Journal is an increase of around 22 percent compared to last year.