Reliance ACO joins Rite Aid Health Alliance initiative

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid has announced Reliance ACO, based in southeast Mich., as the latest healthcare provider to join its Rite Aid Health Alliance initiative. Reliance ACO is the eighth partner to join Rite Aid Health Alliance.

"Adding healthcare providers, such as Reliance ACO, to our Rite Aid Health Alliance portfolio further enables us to provide our communities with unique healthcare resources," said Robert Thompson, Rite Aid EVP of pharmacy. "We look forward to collaborating with our latest partner, Reliance ACO, as we work to bring a broad range of services to patients with chronic and polychronic conditions in southeast Michigan."

Rite Aid's Health Alliance integrated-care model leverages the combined expertise of community pharmacists, along with specially trained in-store care coaches. Physicians can refer patients who they feel would benefit from additional coaching in suchareas as medication management and meal and exercise planning. All members of the care team communicate regularly with physicians to improve patients' overall health.

"Reliance ACO is excited to announce its partnership with Rite Aid Health Alliance,” said Gene Farber, Reliance ACO CEO. “This collaboration represents our commitment to improving patient outcomes and delivering cost effective health care. By partnering with Rite Aid pharmacists and care coaches in our community, our patients will have expanded access to tools and resources to manage their chronic and polychronic conditions successfully."

Rite Aid is currently piloting Rite Aid Health Alliance partnerships with High Point, N.C.-based Cornerstone Health Care; Glendale, Calif.-based Apollo Medical Holdings; Greater Buffalo United Accountable Healthcare Network of Buffalo, N.Y.; Penn State Hershey Health System of Hershey, Pa.; Heritage Provider Network based in Marina Del Rey, Calif; Physician Direct ACO of Sylvan Lake, Mich.; and Louisville, Ky.-based Quality Independent Physicians.

In these markets at select Rite Aid pharmacies, Rite Aid provides the care coaches on the team through its whollyowned subsidiary Health Dialog, a leading provider of healthcare patient support, analytics and decision support. Rite Aid care coaches specialize in behavior change to help patients address lifestyle health issues.

The full range of services available to patients participating in Rite Aid Health Alliance includes medication compliancesupport, comprehensive medication reviews and reconciliation, nutrition and weight management information, disease education, exercise coaching and tobacco cessation support.