Kroger Health and The University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy Celebrate the First Anniversary of the Kroger Health Center for Advanced Community Care

CINCINNATI, Nov. 23, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co., and the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy recently celebrated the one-year anniversary of the Kroger Health Center for Advanced Community Care. 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 from the College of Pharmacy intend to study the impact of health interventions delivered both at the Center and 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," said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health. "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, PhD, 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."

To learn more about Kroger Health, please visit: www.kroger.com/health. To learn more about the University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy, please visit: pharmacy.uc.edu.

About Kroger Health:
Kroger Health, the healthcare arm of The Kroger Co., is one of America's leading retail healthcare organizations, with more than 2,200 pharmacies and 225 clinics in 35 states serving more than 14 million customers. Our team of 24,000 healthcare practitioners - from pharmacists and nurse practitioners to dietitians and technicians – are committed to helping people live healthier lives. We believe in practicing at the top of our licenses and enabling "food as medicine" to help prevent disease before it starts. Learn more at www.krogerhealth.com.

About The University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy
The University of Cincinnati James L. Winkle College of Pharmacy enables students to become pharmacy leaders through collaborative research opportunities and real-world experience. Our mission is to develop progressive pharmacy practitioners and researchers to lead the evolution of health care.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.