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Kroger brings COVID-19 testing to all Little Clinics

In-store health clinics can test up to 5,000 patients daily

Russell Redman

August 21, 2020

3 Min Read
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Kroger Health has rolled out coronavirus testing to its more than 220 The Little Clinic locations in nine states.Kroger

Kroger Health, the health care services arm of The Kroger Co., has expanded COVID-19 testing to its more than 220 The Little Clinic locations in nine states.

The expansion will enable Kroger Health’s licensed health professionals to broaden access to coronavirus testing and convenient care services, Kroger Health said yesterday. The Little Clinic in-store locations can test up to 5,000 patients per day, according to the company. Tests are available by appointment.

Since April, Kroger Health has performed more than 150,000 COVID-19 tests across 19 states at drive-thru and walk-up testing locations. Last week, Kroger unveiled COVIDCare Plus, a coronavirus testing solution for employers that includes the Kroger Health’s FDA-authorized COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit and access to clinical health services. The program is now available in 17 states.

In early July, Kroger announced the availability of the COVID-19 Test Home Collection Kit to all associates, and in May the company began offering frontline workers access to free coronavirus tests, either via self-administered test kits or drive-thru test sites.

“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,” Kroger Health President Colleen Lindholz said in a statement. “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.”

Related:Kroger unveils COVIDCare Plus coronavirus test program for employers

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At the clinics, the COVID-19 testing will mirror the self-administered tests now used at Kroger Health's public test sites.

 

Kroger Health said the clinic testing will mirror the self-administered collection process now employed at its community testing locations. Patients can access Kroger Health’s free screening tool at krogerhealth.com/clinictesting to determine if testing is appropriate for them and schedule an appointment. Once an appointment is scheduled, a Kroger Health practitioner will contact the patient via telehealth or by phone.

The Little Clinics 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, Kroger said. The company has also instituted extra measures at the clinics, including enhanced air filtration systems, to protect the health of associates, patients and customers,.

Kroger Health noted that the expanded coronavirus testing at its clinics comes just ahead of flu season, when many health officials expect an increased need for COVID-19 testing to help diagnose the disease amid potentially similar symptoms.

Related:Kroger to make emergency home COVID-19 test kits available to associates

“COVID-19 and the flu share many of the same symptoms, which could cause added confusion and concern for Americans of all ages,” according to Kroger Health Chief Medical Officer Marc Watkins, M.D. “Kroger Health is ramping up our comprehensive testing efforts to provide our communities with the resources they need stay healthy and flatten the curve.”

The Little Clinics are blocated inside select Kroger, Fry’s, Jay C, Dillons and King Soopers stores in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee and Virginia. Along with the clinics, Kroger Health operates more than 2,200 pharmacies in 35 states and serves more than 14 million customers.

For our most up-to-date coverage, visit the coronavirus homepage.

About the Author

Russell Redman

Senior Editor
Supermarket News

Russell Redman has served as senior editor at Supermarket News since April 2018, his second tour with the publication. In his current role, he handles daily news coverage for the SN website and contributes news and features for the print magazine, as well as participates in special projects, podcasts and webinars and attends industry events. Russ joined SN from Racher Press Inc.’s Chain Drug Review and Mass Market Retailers magazines, where he served as desk/online editor for more than nine years, covering the food/drug/mass retail sector. 

Russell Redman’s more than 30 years of experience in journalism span a range of editorial manager, editor, reporter/writer and digital roles at a variety of publications and websites covering a breadth of industries, including retailing, pharmacy/health care, IT, digital home, financial technology, financial services, real estate/commercial property, pro audio/video and film. He started his career in 1989 as a local news reporter and editor, covering community news and politics in Long Island, N.Y. His background also includes an earlier stint at Supermarket News as center store editor and then financial editor in the mid-1990s. Russ holds a B.A. in journalism (minor in political science) from Hofstra University, where he also earned a certificate in digital/social media marketing in November 2016.

Russell Redman’s experience:

Supermarket News - Informa
Senior Editor 
April 2018 - present

Chain Drug Review/Mass Market Retailers - Racher Press
Desk/Online Editor 
Sept. 2008 - March 2018

CRN magazine - CMP Media
Managing Editor
May 2000 - June 2007

Bank Systems & Technology - Miller Freeman
Executive Editor/Managing Editor
Dec. 1996 - May 2000

Supermarket News - Fairchild Publications
Financial Editor/Associate Editor
April 1995 - Dec. 1996 

Shopping Centers Today Magazine - ICSC 
Desk Editor/Assistant Editor
Dec. 1992 - April 1995

Testa Communications
Assistant Editor/Contributing Editor (Music & Sound Retailer, Post, Producer, Sound & Communications and DJ Times magazines)
Jan. 1991 - Dec. 1992 

American Banker/Bond Buyer
Copy Editor
Oct. 1990 - Jan. 1991 

This Week newspaper - Chanry Communications
Reporter/Editor
May 1989 - July 1990

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