Kroger’s The Little Clinic Gets Reaccreditation From The Joint Commission
The Little Clinic, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Kroger Co., has received The Joint Commission's Gold Seal of Approval for Retail Health Care for the fourth time. The Gold Seal of Approval reflects an organization’s commitment to providing safe and effective patient care.
“At Kroger Health, our vision is to help people live healthier lives [with] Wellness Your Way, and The Little Clinic is a big part of that effort,” said Chance Cole, VP, Kroger Health. “We’re focused on providing solutions that simplify the health care experience while also elevating the standard of care for people across the country. The reaccreditation by The Joint Commission further supports that work, and is a testament to the quality of care and operations provided by our clinics and our health care professionals.”
The Little Clinic, which serves almost 2 million patients annually, first earned accreditation in 2009, followed by reaccreditation in 2012, 2015, and again this year. More than 200 clinics operate in select Kroger stores in Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Virginia, Indiana and Ohio; King Soopers in Colorado; Fry’s Food Stores in Arizona; and JayC stores in Indiana. The 500-plus on-site board-certified nurse practitioners and physician assistants can diagnose, treat and write prescriptions for common illnesses, as well as for minor skin conditions and injuries. The clinics also provide services such as physicals, back-to-school and sports exams, screenings, and several types of vaccinations. Appointments aren’t needed, and the clinics accept most major insurers and many regional insurers.
During The Joint Commission’s review process, a team of surveyors with expertise in general and retail health care evaluated The Little Clinic’s compliance with standards in a range of areas, among them coordination of care, monitoring for procedures that involve use of sedation or anesthesia, infection prevention and control, management of medications, and patient education and training.
“The Little Clinic takes great pride in receiving accreditation from The Joint Commission, the most trusted health care quality improvement and accreditation body in the nation,” noted Marc R. Watkins, chief medical officer at The Little Clinic, which is based in Nashville, Tenn. “We hold our team to the highest standards, and this recognition demonstrates that we are collectively continuing to keep that bar high. I’m excited about what we've built, but even more excited about where we’re headed. We’re committed to changing the way health care is delivered in this country, and this another important milestone on that journey.”
The Joint Commission is the nation’s oldest and largest standards-setting and accrediting body in the health care industry, certifying and accrediting more than 20,500 other organizations, including hospitals and health care organizations that provide ambulatory and office-based surgery, behavioral health, home care, laboratory and nursing home services.
Cincinnati-based Kroger employs nearly a half-million associates at 2,800 retail food stores under various banners. The retailer was second on Progressive Grocer’s 2018 Super 50 list of the top grocers in the United States.