Kroger Health Announces COVID-19 Testing at All Clinic Locations

Rhea-AI Summary

Kroger Health has expanded its COVID-19 testing services to over 220 clinic locations, available by appointment for both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. This initiative comes alongside the COVIDCare Plus testing program, ensuring increased access to testing amid the impending flu season. The clinics can accommodate up to 5,000 tests daily. Kroger Health has conducted over 150,000 COVID-19 tests since April, emphasizing the importance of testing as flu season approaches due to overlapping symptoms. Additional safety measures have been implemented at clinics to protect patients and staff.

Positive

• Expansion of COVID-19 testing to over 220 clinics, enhancing access to healthcare.
• Ability to test up to 5,000 patients daily, indicating strong operational capacity.
• Facilitated over 150,000 COVID-19 tests since April, demonstrating significant engagement in public health.

Negative

• None.

CINCINNATI, Aug. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), today announced the expansion of its COVID-19 testing offerings at more than 220 clinic locations by appointment for both symptomatic and asymptomatic patients. The expansion comes on the heels of the launch of the company's employer-focused COVIDCare Plus testing program, and just in time for the start of the upcoming flu season, during which many health officials anticipate an increased need for COVID-19 testing.

The clinic testing will mirror the self-administered collection process currently utilized at Kroger Health's community testing locations. The expansion will enable the company's multidisciplinary team of licensed healthcare professionals to increase access to testing and convenient care services. Kroger Health's in-store clinics have the capability to test up to 5,000 patients per day.

"We are proud of our drive-thru testing program that provided a quick, interim testing solution, and now we are focused on building testing capability that serves more Americans on an ongoing basis. These longer-term COVID-19 testing solutions include leveraging our clinic locations and our FDA-authorized COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit so we can reach more people."

Patients can access Kroger Health's free screening tool to determine if testing is appropriate for them and schedule an appointment at krogerhealth.com/clinictesting. Once a patient schedules an appointment, a licensed practitioner will contact them via telehealth or by phone. Clinic locations will offer designated parking for patients and most COVID-19 sample collections can be self-administered under the observation of a Kroger Health professional while patients remain in their vehicles. The company has also instituted additional measures at Kroger Health clinics to safeguard the health and wellbeing of associates, patients and customers, including enhanced air filtration systems.

Since April, Kroger Health has facilitated more than 150,000 COVID-19 tests across 19 states at drive-thru and walk-up testing locations. As the nation prepares to enter flu season, testing will become even more critical to help diagnose COVID-19 amidst potentially similar symptoms.

"COVID-19 and the flu share many of the same symptoms, which could cause added confusion and concern for Americans of all ages," said Marc R. Watkins MD, Kroger Health's chief medical officer. "Kroger Health is ramping up our comprehensive testing efforts to provide our communities with the resources they need stay healthy and flatten the curve."

Kroger Health clinics, currently called The Little Clinic, are available in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia.

About Kroger Health:
Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co., is one of America's leading retail healthcare organizations, with over 2,200 pharmacies and 220 clinics in 35 states serving more than 14 million customers. Our team of 22,000 healthcare practitioners - from pharmacists and nurse practitioners, to dietitians and technicians – are committed to helping people live healthier lives. We believe in practicing at the top of our licenses and enabling "food as medicine" to help prevent or manage certain diseases. We are dedicated to providing testing and wellness services to help Americans combat the COVID-19 crisis. Learn more at www.krogerhealth.com.

About The Kroger Co.:
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone™ and dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit®. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless shopping experience under a variety of banner names. We are committed to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

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SOURCE The Kroger Co.

FAQ

What recent expansion did Kroger Health announce regarding COVID-19 testing?

Kroger Health announced the expansion of its COVID-19 testing services to over 220 clinics, allowing for testing by appointment.

How many COVID-19 tests has Kroger Health conducted since April?

Since April, Kroger Health has conducted over 150,000 COVID-19 tests across various locations.

What measures has Kroger Health implemented at its clinics for COVID-19 testing?

Kroger Health has instituted additional safety measures, including enhanced air filtration systems to protect patients and staff.

How many patients can Kroger Health's clinics test in a day?

Kroger Health's clinics have the capacity to test up to 5,000 patients each day.

What is the significance of Kroger Health's testing expansion for the upcoming flu season?

The expansion is significant as it prepares for an anticipated increase in testing needs due to the overlap of COVID-19 and flu symptoms.