WOONSOCKET, R.I. — MinuteClinic entered a couple of new markets with the opening of three walk-in clinics inside CVS/pharmacy stores in the Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio, metropolitan areas.

The CVS Caremark retail health clinic subsidiary said Thursday that three more clinics, two in the Cincinnati area and one in Dayton, are slated to open over the next four months, with more locations in both markets expected to open in 2013.

MinuteClinic launched its first retail medical clinics in Ohio in 2006 and now has 33 walk-in clinics inside CVS stores in the Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Dayton, Ohio, markets.

Andrew Sussman, president of MinuteClinic and senior vice president/associate chief medical officer at CVS Caremark, noted that MinuteClinic can help alleviate the severe primary care shortage that is expected to worsen over the coming decade in Ohio.

"We believe MinuteClinic can be part of the solution to help broaden access to high-quality, convenient and affordable health care services in southwest Ohio and elsewhere in the state," Sussman said in a statement.

The new MinuteClinics opened in Maineville (Cincinnati area) and in Beavercreek and Springboro (Dayton area). Clinics are due to open in Cincinnati in mid-October and in West Chester in December/January and in Dayton in November, the company said.