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CINCINNATI — The Kroger Health Center for Advanced Community Care, a joint project of Kroger Health and the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, recently celebrated its one-year anniversary. The Center employs pharmacists, technicians, nurse practitioners, and dietitians to provide an interprofessional model of care. It also provides practical experiences for students who are studying in these disciplines and prepares them to practice in a virtual environment. Shared faculty members from the College of Pharmacy intend to study the impact of health interventions delivered both at the Center and through the nearly 2,300 Kroger Family of Pharmacy locations.
Since its inception, the professionals and students who practice at the Center have served patients from 17 states and conducted more than 35,000 telehealth encounters with patients focusing on prescription refill program enrollment and medication adherence. Registered dietitians conducted nearly 2,400 telenutrition visits and nurse practitioners have held more than 16,000 telehealth appointments in the space.
“We are excited about the continued collaboration between Kroger Health and the UC College of Pharmacy,” Kroger Health president Colleen Lindholz said. “The Center is evidence of Kroger Health’s continued commitment to equipping future healthcare leaders with the expertise and practical educational experiences that are necessary for them to succeed. The Center models a community pharmacy that offers value-based care where patient outcomes are enhanced, and healthcare delivery costs are reduced.”
Nearly 300 students are enrolled in the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy’s Doctor of Pharmacy program and have access to the expansive 4,000-square-foot space that helps further the College’s mission of developing progressive pharmacy practitioners and researchers to lead the evolution of healthcare. It features a studio, interactive lab, and collaborative spaces for UC faculty and pharmacy students to care for patients, side-by-side with Kroger Health staff.
“As the number of prescriptions dispensed across America continues to increase, and the more that healthcare services are needed, it is increasingly critical that our College of Pharmacy students are skilled in shaping individualized patient care plans,” said Christopher Surratt, dean of the James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy. “The Kroger Health Center for Advanced Community Care ensures that our students collaborate with credible health care professionals in creating customized pharmacotherapies for patients. We celebrate how Kroger Health’s support has helped us create a cutting-edge medication therapy management facility.”
