Big Y Foods to launch telemedicine service

Regional grocer Big Y Foods plans to offer telehealth services under a distribution agreement with Bonum Health.

Tampa, Fla.-based TRxADE Health, parent company of Bonum Health, said yesterday that Big Y will make the telemedicine services available to patients of its in-store pharmacy and wellness centers. Overall, Big Y’s 85 stores in Massachusetts and Connecticut include 71 Big Y World Class Market supermarkets.

Big Y pharmacy patients can log in to the Bonum Health service from a mobile device or computer for one-time visits or purchase a monthly subscription. (Photo courtesy of Bonum Health)

With the deal, Big Y pharmacy patients get direct access to doctors and other health care providers through the Bonum Health mobile app and website. Bonum’s signature Mobile Health Services and prescriber program are staffed by more than 600 board-certified medical providers. The partnership also gives Big Y patients access to prescription drug discounts via Bonum Health. 

“Big Y wanted to expand our digital health care offerings and to enhance our collaborative care network. Bonum Health is a strategic partner that helps us diversify our in-store and community digital healthcare services,” Steve Nordstrom, director of center store and pharmacy at Springfield, Mass.-based Big Y Foods, said in a statement. “Their mobile application enables a turnkey telemedicine and prescriptions savings tool to seamlessly integrate into our Big Y pharmacies.”

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Bonum Health care providers participating in the telehealth program offer primary care and non-emergency services. Patients can log in from a mobile device or computer for one-time visits or purchase a monthly subscription. Prescriptions, if needed, can be transmitted directly to a patient’s local Big Y pharmacy.

Telehealth provides another option for affordable health care services, especially as the gap between uninsured and underinsured consumers widens, Bonum Health noted.

“We are thrilled and fortunate to team up with Big Y and their outstanding health and wellness leadership and in-store staff,” according to Ashton Maaraba, resident of Bonum Health. “Big Y pharmacy leadership recognized an opportunity to provide greater access to deeply discounted, low-cost care to their patients — in combination with furthering their prescription discounts — under our unique digital platform, and Big Y chose Bonum Health. We are looking forward to serving each Big Y consumer household.”

Besides Big Y World Class Market supermarkets, Big Y operates one Fresh Acres Market grocery store, one Table & Vine Fine Wines & Liquors store, and 12 Big Y Express fuel and convenience locations. 

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A health services IT firm, TRxADE Health focuses on digitizing the retail pharmacy experience and optimizing drug procurement. Along with Bonum Health, the company operates the TRxADE Group online drug marketplace, which serves more than 12,000 members nationwide.