Kroger, Physician Group Partner for Clinics Plan

WENDY TOTH

CINCINNATI — Kroger Co. here has teamed with Premier HealthNet, Dayton, Ohio, a network of more than 100 primary care physicians, to open in-store, nurse-staffed Premier ExpressCare clinics in two Ohio Kroger stores this month.

The clinics are located in Beavercreek and Kettering, Ohio, and Premier HealthNet plans to open a third clinic inside an Englewood Kroger Marketplace store this spring, Ken Prunier, vice president of Premier HealthNet, told SN.

The health care network began pursuing Kroger about a year ago when clinics in states like Michigan, Indiana and Florida began opening, he said. Kroger did not respond to requests for comment.

“We noticed that a lot of clinics were going up in drug store pharmacies, but we thought a local grocery chain made a lot of sense based on getting more foot traffic than a drug store and giving the clinic a larger opportunity for exposure,” Prunier said.

Run like most retail clinics, the Premier ExpressCare locations will provide routine medical services from nurse practitioners for an average cost per visit of $50. In addition, Premier HealthNet is able to use its contracts with many insurance companies to ensure that most services are covered.

As a network with physician offices in many Ohio communities, many of Premier HealthNet's patients are already familiar with Kroger, Prunier said. “They are a very attractive partner to us,” he said. “Kroger is a very progressive retailer, constantly updating and building new stores.”

Kroger also partnered with The Little Clinic, Brentwood, Tenn., and SmartCare Family Medical Centers, Greenwood Village, Colo.