Kroger pharmacies, clinics to roll out point-of-care blood testing
Kroger Health has inked a partnership that will bring point-of-care blood testing to its more than 2,000 pharmacies and clinics. The company this week announced that it would be rolling out PTS Diagnostics' CardioCheck Plus analyzers to pharmacies and clinics, which will help identify whether patients are at risk of a heart attack, a stroke or diabetes at the point of care.
The CardioCheck Plus analyzer offers results in as little as 90 seconds, using the same technology the company said used in clinical labs. Using one finger stick, it tests a patient’s lipid profile and glucose simultaneously. It measures total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose.
"With nearly one-third of Americans suffering from diabetes, prediabetes or high cholesterol, the time for more innovative and turnkey solutions is now," said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health. "One of the best ways to combat these issues is to 'know your numbers.' And that's why easy, economical and efficient testing methods are so important. When you know if you're at risk, you can take the actions necessary — whether that is with your diet, exercise or medication — to begin living a healthier life."
The companies said that the portability of the CardioCheck analyzer and the reach of Kroger’s healthcare offerings would increase the number of patients who can access preventive screenings and seek appropriate treatment.
Robert Huffstodt, president and CEO of PTS diagnostics, said, Our partnership with Kroger Health is an important step towards improving the overall state of population health. Nearly 90% of Americans live within five miles of a Kroger Health pharmacy or clinic, and these individuals can now be quickly monitored for cardiometabolic conditions."
Kroger said it expects the rollout to be complete by February.
The CardioCheck Plus analyzer offers results in as little as 90 seconds, using the same technology the company said used in clinical labs. Using one finger stick, it tests a patient’s lipid profile and glucose simultaneously. It measures total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides and blood glucose.
"With nearly one-third of Americans suffering from diabetes, prediabetes or high cholesterol, the time for more innovative and turnkey solutions is now," said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health. "One of the best ways to combat these issues is to 'know your numbers.' And that's why easy, economical and efficient testing methods are so important. When you know if you're at risk, you can take the actions necessary — whether that is with your diet, exercise or medication — to begin living a healthier life."
The companies said that the portability of the CardioCheck analyzer and the reach of Kroger’s healthcare offerings would increase the number of patients who can access preventive screenings and seek appropriate treatment.
Robert Huffstodt, president and CEO of PTS diagnostics, said, Our partnership with Kroger Health is an important step towards improving the overall state of population health. Nearly 90% of Americans live within five miles of a Kroger Health pharmacy or clinic, and these individuals can now be quickly monitored for cardiometabolic conditions."
Kroger said it expects the rollout to be complete by February.