Hy-Vee, Inc., has announced the opening of its first Hy-Vee Health infusion clinic in West Des Moines, Iowa.
The infusion clinic is referral-based and will provide treatments for rheumatology, gastroenterology, pulmonary, neurology, dermatology, oncology and other chronic conditions. The freestanding clinic is staffed by licensed physicians and nurse practitioners and features three private infusion rooms and five group infusion suites, offering a setting for patients receiving specialty treatments.
“As an independent clinic, Hy-Vee Health is an affordable, convenient and accessible option for patients who face chronic and complex conditions,” said Aaron Wiese, president of Hy-Vee, Inc. “Our vision for Hy-Vee Health is to provide convenient, cost-effective health solutions for patients across the United States.”
The Hy-Vee Health infusion clinic is an extension of Hy-Vee’s specialty care. Since 2014, Hy-Vee has operated Amber Specialty Pharmacy, which specializes in providing personalized care for patients with complex conditions.
Hy-Vee has been operating retail pharmacies with more than 275 locations currently across eight Midwestern states. The retailer has invested in other health and wellness areas by employing a team of registered dietitians and creating a free educational program for children called Hy-Vee KidsFit that promotes physical activity and healthy lifestyle habits. Most recently, the retailer introduced telehealth and online pharmacy provider RedBox Rx, pharmacy benefit manager Vivid Clear Rx and e-commerce health and wellness site WholeLotta Good.
Several additional Hy-Vee Health infusion clinics are planned to open later this year across the U.S.
Supermarket News recently had the opportunity to talk with now former CEO Randy Edeker and new chief Jeremy Gosch at the FMI Midwinter Conference in Orlando, Fla., in January, and Edeker mentioned Hy-Vee’s healthcare impact.
“I think the big thing for us is healthcare, we have a lot of diverse healthcare brands. We have Vivid Clear Rx, which is really a new style PBM [pharmacy benefit manager], really, really structured to be the anti-PBM to PBMs. We have Red Box Rx, which is a digital pharmacy that’s outselling every single day. We have our specialty pharmacy, Amber Specialty Pharmacy. Pharmacies is our largest department. Healthcare is going to be huge. We launched a new company this year called Hy-Vee Healthcare LLC, really focused on clinical services and kind of bringing all of the synergies around all of our health brands together”
