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CANTON, Miss. ─ Fred’s Inc. is expanding access to telehealth services at its in-store pharmacies.
Technology provider TelehealthONE said it will roll out its telehealth kiosks to more Fred’s Pharmacy locations. Plans call for the nine TelehealthONE stations to be deployed at Fred’s stores in Union, Pelahatchie, Carthage, Morton, Jackson, Pearl, Clinton, Lexington and Terry, Miss.
The move follows a successful pilot of the TelehealthONE kiosk at the Fred’s Pharmacy in Flora, Miss., which began last September, as well as the need for additional options in accessing health care services, the companies said.
“Our mission is to improve the lives of our patients and customers across the state by providing quality health care services, and consumer products that deliver value to the communities we serve,” Rick Chambers, executive vice president of pharmacy operations at Fred’s, said in a statement. “Being a leader in providing flexible options for physician visits is just one step in that process.”
Patients using the TelehealthONE kiosk at Fred’s are accompanied by a pharmacy technician to assist in connecting with a health care provider. Visits to a Fred’s TelehealthONE station will have the same co-payment as a traditional doctor’s office visit, TelehealthONE said, adding that all insurance is accepted, including Medicaid and Medicare.
“If people have access to convenient, affordable and a variety of services under one roof, they are more likely to seek care regularly,” stated David Powe, chairman of Canton, Miss.-based TelehealthONE. “That is an easy step to take to lead a healthy and productive lifestyle. There is a Fred’s Pharmacy located within 15 miles of nearly all Mississippi residents, which is why adding our TelehealthONE kiosks will allow even more access to care.”
Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant appeared at an event last week announcing the expanded rollout of TelehealthONE kiosks at Fred’s.
“By making it easier for our residents to access the care they need, we are hopeful that we can impact our health outcomes and make Mississippi a healthier place to live,” Bryant commented. “It’s encouraging to see national telehealth and retail companies and one of our state’s largest health systems working together to improve the health of our state.”
Overall, Fred’s has 654 discount general merchandise stores, including 373 full-service pharmacy departments, in 15 Southeastern states, as well as and three specialty pharmacies.
