Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE:RAD) today announced Penn State Hershey
Health System as the latest healthcare provider to join its Rite Aid
Health Alliance initiative. The partnership will be formally announced
this afternoon by John Standley, Rite Aid chairman and CEO, and Harold
L. Paz, M.D., M.S, CEO of Penn State Hershey Medical Center and Health
System, Penn State’s senior vice president for health affairs and dean,
Penn State College of Medicine, during a 1 p.m. press conference at the
Rite Aid pharmacy located at 337 West Chocolate Ave., in Hershey.
Unveiled earlier this year, Rite Aid Health Alliance provides
comprehensive care and support to individuals with chronic and
poly-chronic health conditions and helps them achieve health improvement
goals established by their physicians.
“Across Central Pennsylvania, Penn State Hershey has long been known as
one of the preeminent healthcare systems in the country, and like Rite
Aid, they share our commitment to providing access to affordable and
high-quality health care,” said Standley. “We are especially pleased to
be working with their physicians to bring Rite Aid Health Alliance to
patients in the Hershey and greater Harrisburg area. Together, we will
help our patients manage their conditions and improve their overall
health and wellbeing.”
Rite Aid’s Health Alliance integrated care model is a first for the
drugstore industry, because it uniquely leverages the combined expertise
of community pharmacists, who are one of the most accessible and trusted
resources among healthcare providers, along with specially trained
in-store healthcare coaches. Penn State Hershey physicians can refer
patients who they feel would benefit from additional coaching in areas
such as medication management and meal and exercise planning. All
members of the care team will communicate regularly with physicians in a
true partnership to improve patients’ overall health.
“Partnering with Rite Aid’s Health Alliance program is another way in
which Penn State Hershey can ensure our patients receive quality care in
the most appropriate, cost-effective setting,” said Paz. “This program
serves as an innovative example of how an academic medical center can
work with other community healthcare providers to help patients with
chronic conditions access a full range of resources to help them manage
their health.”
Through Rite Aid Health Alliance, patients with chronic and poly-chronic
conditions, like congestive heart failure, COPD, high cholesterol and
diabetes, are recommended to the program by their primary care
physician. Rite Aid pharmacists and specially trained care coaches,
located in Rite Aid pharmacies, work with the physician and patient on
an on-going basis to improve the patient’s overall health and
self-management abilities. The care team members collaborate with the
patient to establish health goals, eliminate barriers and create a
personalized health care action plan in coordination with the patient’s
physician.
Currently, the Company is piloting Rite Aid Health Alliance partnerships
with High Point, N.C.-based Cornerstone Health Care; Glendale,
Calif.-based Apollo Medical Holdings, Inc. (“ApolloMed”); and Greater
Buffalo United Accountable Healthcare Network of Buffalo, N.Y.
In these markets at select Rite Aid pharmacies, Rite Aid provides the
care coaches on the team through its wholly owned subsidiary Health
Dialog, a leading provider of healthcare patient support, analytics and
decision support. Health Dialog coaches will be available in Rite Aid
pharmacies, and specialize in behavior change to help patients address
lifestyle health issues.
The full range of services available to patients participating in Rite
Aid Health Alliance includes medication compliance support;
comprehensive medication reviews and reconciliation; nutrition and
weight management information; disease education; exercise coaching and
tobacco cessation support. Records of all interactions, which occur in
Rite Aid pharmacies, as well as updates from the physician, are stored
electronically, along with patient profiles including medications and
lab results. This supports continuity of care and provides convenient
access of information to other members of the patient’s healthcare team.
Rite Aid Corporation is one of the nation's leading drugstore chains
with nearly 4,600 stores in 31 states and the District of Columbia and
fiscal 2014 annual revenues of $25.5 billion. Information about Rite
Aid, including corporate background and press releases, is available
through the company's website at www.riteaid.com.
Copyright Business Wire 2014