Albertsons Gets Sincere About Customer Health

Albertsons Cos. is linking multiple touch points of consumer well-being with Sincerely Health, a digital wellness platform that allows shoppers at 16 of its grocery banners to track and meet goals involving nutrition, food, pharmacy services and mental health. Consumers receive points redeemable toward groceries for achievements.

First, a customer engages with the platform and answers certain questions, said Omer Gajial, chief digital officer clinics and physicians can’t,” said Carmen A. Catizone, founding partner, CLM Pharmacy Advisors. “You don’t have to wait three weeks for an appointment. You can walk in and talk to a pharmacist whenever you need to.” and EVP health. Then, the device produces a health score and the customer enters health goals. Progress is tracked and grocery rewards are provided when earned. Upon joining Sincerely Health, consumers receive up to $25 off an upcoming grocery purchase.

Rural areas often lack doctors and have much to gain from pharmacists’ expanded practice scope. They were also key beneficiaries of pharmacists’ ability to administer COVID19 vaccinations. Many pharmacists traveled to these areas and established mobile vaccination sites. Half of COVID19 vaccines administered by pharmacists involved these populations, said NACDS.

The pandemic also drove public collaborations via the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program (FRPP) for COVID-19 Vaccination, which launched in February 2021. The FRPP relies on collaboration between public health agencies to encourage individuals to visit retail pharmacies for vaccinations. It involves 21 pharmacy partners at 41,000 locations nationwide, said the Centers for Disease Control’s website.

Shoppers can log vitals and medication regimens for improved visibility and control. Sincerely Health also offers an online pharmacy experience, including tools for managing prescriptions, scheduling vaccines and connecting users with general practitioners through telehealth services.

Via fintech collaborations, the platform lets customers utilize supplemental Medicare and Medicaid benefits involving fresh food and OTC products purchased. Users can also link activity trackers like Apple Health, Fitbit and Google Fit. Sincerely Health was developed in collaboration with healthcare providers, insurance and technology companies,

“Well-being can mean many things,” said Gajial. “It’s a balance between a healthy mind and body and taking care of ourselves and loved ones. Sincerely Health offers a connected and personalized view across food, nutrition and activities. It lets you and the customer track progress so they can make better, more informed choices. Motivation and rewards are critical to staying on track. Our purpose is to improve lives. If we can improve one million lives through this process, it’s the right thing to do.”

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The FRPP spurned additional community initiatives. Fruth Pharmacy now works with the West Virginia Drug Intervention Institute in its home state. A grant provides Fruth with free naloxone and facilitates a children’s anti-drug program involving free coloring books. An online component features talking pill bottles, said Drew Massey, director of pharmacy operations. And, the grant provides at-home opioid destruction kits to help consumers dispose of unused prescriptions.

“During COVID, we worked with everyone from the governor’s office down to the local health department, including organizations we never worked with before,” added Massey. “It opened new communications.”

Collaborative practice

In 2022, Arizona, Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, New York, New Hampshire and West Virginia passed bills implementing, revising and/or expanding collaborative practice authority. New York and Alaska, along with Delaware and Kansas, also effected and/or broadened point-of-care testing and treatment authority.

Brigid K. Groves, PharmD, MS and vice president of pharmacy practice at the American Pharmacy Association (APhA), said patients in these states have much to gain. She used the example of HIV PrEP and PEP, where a pharmacist reviews patients’ medical history, starts preventative or post-exposure therapy and refers people to a doctor or nurse practitioner for continued care. She noted that pharmacists can also check blood pressure, review lab results and adjust hypertension medication levels.

“In some states, pharmacists do this under statewide protocols or collaborative practice agreements, letting patients obtain medication more quickly,” she added. “Some states are more advanced; others have opportunities to grow. We think about ways pharmacists can provide care in addition to dispensing medication. We hope this isn’t far off.”

Massey said rural residents could benefit from these types of services, namely elderly people and those lacking transportation. “A few miles in West Virginia are literally the difference between a loyal customer who stays on therapy and patients who end up in the hospital in many cases,” he added. “I’m a proponent of pharmacists as providers and the ability to practice using the full scope of our training and education.” Fruth has 29 stores in Ohio, West Virginia and Kentucky.

Where permitted, Albertsons Companies lets pharmacists prescribe and refill medications directly. “We’re expanding prescriptive services to provide new access points and more efficient and convenient care for customers,” noted Omer Gajial, chief digital officer and EVP health. Albertsons has also immunized customers in rural and inner-city communities.

Rural communities can also reap gains from telepharmacy, which focuses on medication and chronic disease management, and telehealth, which can involve physicians and a wider range of services. According to healthcare law firm Nixon Gwilt, about half of the states allow telepharmacy. The pharmacy industry hopes to broaden access for both services.

“During the pandemic, certain regulations were relaxed,” said Matthew Hamory, a partner and managing director, food & drug retail practice, Alix