Coborn's Adding Blood Pressure Kiosks to Pharmacies
Coborn's Inc. has partnered with PharmaSmart International Inc. to add the Rochester, N.Y.-based manufacturer's clinically validated blood pressure kiosk and cloud-based health IT platform to its 36 stores with pharmacies, as well as two clinic pharmacies and its support center in St. Cloud, Minn.
Coborn’s will leverage PharmaSmart’s clinical-grade program and McKesson’s CPS integration to drive Medicare Star Ratings objectives., specifically measures D-14 (Medication Adherence for Hypertension), and C-19 (Controlling Blood Pressure), both of which are triple-weighted measures of high interest to national and regional insurers.
“With PharmaSmart, we now offer our guests a credible, evidence-based program for blood pressure management, including full integration into our Rx Software, and a branded patient health portal,” said Jim Cox, Coborn’s pharmacy director. “PharmaSmart’s integrated solution allows us to easily intervene in cases where blood pressure control is not achieved, and we now have the data to demonstrate our impact on blood pressure control over a managed population.”
Continued Cox: “We now are in the process of negotiating remuneration with healthcare plans. PharmaSmart’s respected clinical brand and healthcare toolbox have helped bring insurance partners to the table. We evaluated deploying traditional, ‘recreational’ kiosks, but PharmaSmart’s program better supports Coborn’s reputation as a trusted healthcare brand, and bolsters our credibility with physician groups, health plans and our own pharmacists, who want to know that their patient management tools are backed by evidence.”
St. Cloud-based Coborn’s Inc. is an employee-owned grocery retailer with 8,000 employees and 54 stores across Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin under the Coborn’s, Cash Wise Foods, Marketplace Foods and Save-A-Lot banners. It also owns the CobornsDelivers ecommerce service and stand-alone convenience, liquor, video and pharmacy locations.