Client Description

Newly formed regional health system (hospitals, outpatient, urgent care, home-care, behavioral health, wellness).

Background

The health system had recently formed as the result of a 3-way merger, expanding the overall territory for all 3 hospital players. In order to combat the presence and marketing clout of larger health systems in the area, the new system sought to expand their footprint in a unique way, by creating clinics within grocery stores. The health system wanted to learn more about community receptivity and potential usage before piloting an in-store clinic.

Objective

• Evaluate patient receptivity to seeing a healthcare provider in a grocery store setting.
• Maintain positive relationships with area physicians – reassure that in-store clinics would not compete with their practices.

TPG Approach

• Focus Groups – with current in-network patients
• In-store intercept interviews
• Review of existing data on diagnostic codes for types of usage in urgent care settings v. emergency department usage
• Physician interviews

Impact/Results

• Research revealed there there was strong receptivity to health system branded in-store clinics, particularly for less serious situations such as throat cultures, colds/flu, strains and sprains.
• It was also revealed that in-store clinics could function as wellness engagement locations offering nutritional support for diabetes, school sports physicals and camp physicals.
• Pilots were launched in two settings and have grown to include eight in-store clinics.
• Physician practice relationships have remained positive.
• Unnecessary usage of emergency room resources has decreased (in combination with urgent care expansion).