Retail Clinics

CINCINNATI, Ohio — Kroger has expanded the role of The Little Clinic president Colleen Lindholz, naming her president of its pharmacy division Monday. Lindholz, who has led The Little Clinic since 2015, takes over pharmacy duties from Philecia Avery, who Kroger said resigned the company earlier this month to pursue other interests.

AUSTIN, Texas — According to National Sleep Foundation, the most recent findings from its Sleep Health Index found that more than four in 10 Americans reported that their daily activities were significantly impacted by poor or insufficient sleep at least once during the past seven days. Adequate sleep improves memory, strengthens the ability to focus and learn, increases productivity, reduces hunger and boosts the immune system.

ROCKVILLE, Md. — By their very existence, retail clinics could threaten and/or complement at least six parts of the healthcare system, according to a report from Kalorama Information published Thursday, which placed the number of retail clinics at 2,200 across the U.S. According to the report, the oftentimes one-person operations have had a direct impact on hospitals, doctor's offices, government and private insurance payers, vaccine companies, in vitro diagnostic companies and healthcare IT companies.  

ATLANTA — The 2016/2017 influenza season is still ongoing. According to the latest statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu incidence is still tracking above the national baseline, making this year both the longest-running season and the latest-running season in recent memory.

PHOENIX — MinuteClinic, the retail medical clinic of CVS Health, is joining forces with the Dept. of Veterans Affairs, the Phoenix VA Health Care System and TriWest Healthcare Alliance for an initiative that will expand access to high quality and convenient health care services for veterans in Phoenix and surrounding communities.

BOISE, Idaho — An Albertsons pharmacy technician has become the first in the nation to administer an immunization to a patient. The new ability for the technician is the product of new law in Idaho brought about by a partnership between Albertsons and Washington State University College of Pharmacy, who worked together to develop the first pilot program to train pharmacy technicians to provide immunizations with permission from the Idaho board of pharmacy.

ATLANTA — A new study published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention earlier this month in Pediatrics is the first of its kind to show that flu vaccination significantly reduced a child’s risk of dying from influenza. The study, which looked at data from four flu seasons between 2010 and 2014, found that flu vaccination reduced the risk of flu-associated death by half (51%) among children with underlying high-risk medical conditions and by nearly two-thirds (65%) among healthy children.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Beginning April 25, Walgreens Healthcare Clinic locations in 18 markets will offer testing services for sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, Hepatitis B and C, chlamydia and gonorrhea.