Price Chopper Rolls Out 2 In-store Clinics

Price Chopper, QuickCare and Ellis Medicine have opened QuickCare centers within the grocer’s Market Bistro location in Latham, N.Y., and a Malta, N.Y., Price Chopper. The first-of-their-kind in-store clinics in New York state’s Capital Region aim to offer residents access to convenient, efficient health care.

Staffed by an Ellis Medicine nurse practitioner, physician or physician assistant, the walk-in health centers provide immediate help for common illnesses such as allergies, cold or flu-like symptoms, muscle aches and pains, motion sickness, pink eye or styes, respiratory and sinus infections, sore or strep throat, and urinary tract infections, as well as sports physicals and some well-care and screening services. The clinics are both open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with no appointments necessary.

After seeing the health care professional, patients who need a prescription filled can visit the stores’ immediately adjacent full-service pharmacy departments.

“The convenient hours and location next to full-service pharmacies make these QuickCare centers tremendously accessible for people who are already in our stores shopping for orange juice, cough and cold medicine, or chicken soup,” said Neil Golub, executive chairman of the board at Schenectady, N.Y.-based Price Chopper.

Better Access to Care

“Helping people get access to health care in a place that is close to them and is a part of their regular routines just makes sense in this new age of health care delivery,” noted QuickCare Medical Director David Liebers.

“QuickCare fits with the vision of the Affordable Care Act to break down barriers to health care by moving that care into communities -- making it more accessible,” explained James W. Connolly, president and CEO of Schenectady, N.Y.-based Ellis, a 438-bed community and teaching health care system with four campuses serving the Capital Region. “These centers will help meet the increased number of patients seeking health care resources.”

QuickCare accepts Capital District Physicians' Health Plan (CDPHP) insurance, with co-pays based on the member’s plan. Patients who aren’t CDPHP members pay $40 for a visit.

Mona Golub, Price Chopper's VP of public relations and consumer relations, told Progressive Grocer that the grocer was currently discussing plans for QuickCare centers in two more Capital Region stores, and was also interested in adding such in-store clinics under various brands in other stores beyond the area. In addition to the QuickCare locations, Price Chopper has installed health stations at 14 New York and Vermont stores; however, Golub explained that eventually, these kiosks would become adjuncts to the company's "telemedicine" offering, which, as an extension of the grocer's existing partnerships, would include such features as enabling customers to interact with health care providers via Skype.

"We're recognizing that we have an important role to play" in consumers' health, added Golub.

The family-managed Golub Corp. owns and operates 132 Price Chopper stores in New York, Vermont, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Hampshire. Golub’s 22,000 teammates collectively own more than 51 percent of the company’s privately held stock, making it one of the nation’s largest privately held corporations that is predominantly employee-owned.