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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Meijer Inc. aims to open more in-store medical clinics and has established new relationships with health systems in Wisconsin and Michigan to boost services.
The supercenter retailer said Tuesday that it has partnered with Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network, based in Milwaukee, to open clinics inside its Waukesha and Sussex stores, and with Sparrow Health System in Lansing, Mich., to open clinics in Meijer stores in the Lansing area.
The Beaumont FastCare Clinic inside Meijer’s store in Royal Oak, Mich.
The clinics will offer convenient, affordable access to care for a range of minor health problems, such as cold and flu symptoms, sore throat, and ear, sinus and urinary tract infections, according to Jacquelyn DeBruler, health and wellness director for Meijer.
“Meijer is committed to expanding convenient access to health care providers,” DeBruler said in a statement. “These partnerships give us an opportunity to connect local providers and patients, ultimately meeting people where they are.”
Currently, clinic locations in Meijer stores include the Bronson FastCare Clinic in Portage, Mich.; Beaumont FastCare Clinic in Royal Oak, Mich.; Reid Health Ready Care Walk-in Clinic in Richmond, Ind.; and Family Quick Care clinic in Normal, Ill.
The clinics are staffed by physicians or physician assistants from the health care provider partners and offer a variety of clinical and acute care services.
Meijer added that it partnered with Spectrum Health last November to open a full-service Meijer retail pharmacy on-site at Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich. Spectrum Health also has bought property from Meijer in front of its stores in Ionia and Grand Haven to build medical centers. The retailer said construction on the center in Ionia is due to be completed this spring.
“Patients constantly praise how quickly we are able to see them and how convenient it is to have us right there in the store,” stated Melanie Harrison, practice manager for Reid Urgent Care and Reid Ready Care Clinic. “Many patients have their family members do the shopping while they are at our clinic. They also love that they can leave our clinic and take a few steps to the pharmacy to get their prescriptions filled.”
Meijer said it started forming partnerships with health providers several years ago, which led to the four in-store medical clinics as well as seven hearing centers and 75 optical centers.
“We know that access to immediate medical care is very important to our community. That means making sure we are doing all we can to provide the right care, in the right place, at the right time,” commented Florence Steinberg, director of business development for Bronson Healthcare. “Having Bronson FastCare inside a Meijer store helps area families get expert medical attention quickly and without having to go out of their way.”
Overall, Meijer operates 223 supercenters and grocery stores — all with pharmacies — in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin.
