Publix teams with BayCare for screening stations in stores

Posted Mar 17, 2017 at 11:26 AMUpdated Mar 17, 2017 at 9:48 PM

Publix and BayCare expect to have final details of the collaboration within the next four months, a BayCare spokeswoman said.

LAKELAND — Publix Pharmacy and BayCare Health System have announced a partnership that will put BayCare screening stations in all Publix stores, and teleconferencing stations in selected Publix locations.

Under the arrangement, Publix will operate pharmacies on-site at five BayCare hospitals.

The locations and opening dates of the "telehealth" sites are to be determined. The collaboration will serve people in Polk, Hillsborough, Pasco and Pinellas counties.

"This is a very exciting collaboration for both Publix and BayCare," Publix Vice President of Pharmacy Operations Fred Ottolino said in a written statement. "Through this agreement, we will not only be able to provide BayCare medical expertise to Publix customers seeking non-urgent medical care, but we will also be able to bring Publix's premier service to BayCare's patients."

The agreement makes BayCare Publix's exclusive health care and telehealth collaborator within the four-county geographic region, a news release said. The telehealth sites will each have a private room with teleconferencing and medical diagnostic equipment — including stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, high-definition cameras and other tools necessary for common diagnoses.

The telehealth sites allow patients to speak directly, via video conferencing technology, with a board-certified physician through BayCare's physician network. The physician can direct the patient to use the available diagnostic tools in order to make a diagnosis and write any necessary prescriptions, the news release said.

Publix Pharmacy support staff will be available to assist patients, if needed. 

"BayCare is extremely pleased to enter into this agreement with Publix because we share the core value of excellence," Glenn Waters, executive vice president/COO, BayCare Health System, said in the news release. "This collaboration between medical care and pharmacy also furthers the long-time BayCare commitment to connect the many different aspects of health care in an efficient manner that improves both patient health and the care experience. We are very focused on helping individuals access the right level of care in the right place and this collaboration does just that."

Fees to use the telehealth site are expected to be competitive with a normal doctor's office co-pay, the release said, and appointments will not be needed.

Another component of the collaboration will enable BayCare patients to test their blood pressure and perform other screenings on the in-store health and wellness kiosks — known as "higi" stations — and send their screening results directly to their BayCare physician at no extra fee, the release said.

In addition to these new services within its stores, Publix will purchase, renovate and operate four existing on-site BayCare hospital retail pharmacies: St. Joseph's Hospital, Tampa; Mease Countryside Hospital, Safety Harbor; Morton Plant Hospital, Clearwater; and St. Anthony's Hospital, St. Petersburg.

A fifth Publix Pharmacy will be built in Winter Haven Hospital. Publix also will provide free, bedside prescription delivery services to patients at all BayCare hospital locations.