First-to-market model focused on underserved communities, provides access to quality care where healthcare barriers exist
Phoenix, Arizona, April 25, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Equality Health and Bashas’ Family of Stores’ Food City brand have partnered to launch a full-service health retail clinic that will provide underserved populations with personalized, quality healthcare that’s easily accessible and affordable. The Equality Health Walk-in Clinic, scheduled to open on April 29 at the Food City located at 9020 West Thomas Road in Phoenix, will offer the full-spectrum of health and wellness services supported by an onsite care team that includes a nurse practitioner and health navigator. A pharmacy and onsite lab services will also be available.
Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) show a direct correlation between overall health and non-clinical factors such as economic wellness, food security and safe and affordable housing. To address this, the Equality Health Walk-in Clinic will provide total health solutions including primary care, behavioral health, and social services support. The Equality Health Walk-in Clinic is the first among existing mainstream health retail clinics to offer this level of personalized, holistic care to underserved communities.
“The personalized clinic model completely focuses on total health, embraces culture and empowers the health of individuals and communities,” said Mark Wright, president of Equality Health Medical Group. “We are fortunate to find such a like-minded partner with Bashas’ Family of Stores to help us bring this innovative concept to reality. Both of us are focused on improving greater access to care and the consumer experience, and together, we feel that the clinic will provide a culturally familiar and comfortable place where people can achieve their best health.”
As part of the Equality Health Walk-in Clinic model, the care team will assess for social and cultural determinants of health to guide individuals and connect them to community resources and social support such as:
- Transportation, Housing and Food Programs
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Food Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
- Medicaid and Medicare Enrollment Information
- Disability Benefits Information
Additionally, Equality Health Walk-in Clinics will offer:
- Support to individuals managing chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension
- Screenings for behavioral health needs including anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and suicide prevention; consults for such services can be conducted immediately via telehealth capabilities
- Prescription fulfillment, e-prescribed at the onsite pharmacy or the patient’s pharmacy of choice
“Our goal is to utilize Equality Health Walk-in Clinics as a way to first treat the patient’s most immediate non-emergency conditions, and give them the healthcare they need when they need it most,” said Monique Delgado, senior vice president, Equality Health Network and Operations. “This will help expand access and alleviate avoidable emergency department visits while providing much needed care,” Delgado explained.
Equality Health is also taking site location into consideration as they build out future health retail clinics. According to the Convenient Care Association, the number of visits to health retail clinics have increased sevenfold from 1.5 million to 10.5 million over a period of 15 years. However, higher income families are nearly twice as likely than lower income families to visit a health retail clinic. This disparity is driven in part by the fact that the majority of health retail clinics are located in higher-income neighborhoods. Equality Health and Bashas’ Family of Stores aim to better serve underserved populations by adding Equality Health Walk-in Clinics to communities where convenient access to quality healthcare, affordable healthy foods, and wellness programs is an ongoing challenge.
“Bashas’ Family of Stores is committed to supporting our communities and the customers we serve through access to fresh, quality food in many areas of our state where social determinants of health play a role in daily life,” said Edward Basha III, president and CEO of Bashas’ Family of Stores. “We are proud to partner with Equality Health on this first-of-its-kind clinic and provide yet another resource for our customers to enhance their overall health and well-being.”
Health retail clinics are now a part of the healthcare landscape in every state and in many communities. Equality Health and Bashas’ believe that placing full-service, culturally competent health retail clinics in a community-focused environment that promotes healthier choices and provides easy access to nutritious foods to support health goals, will help underserved populations achieve optimum health and live happier lives.
For more information about Equality Health Walk-in Clinics, visit www.equalityhealthclinic.com.
About Equality Health
Equality Health, LLC is an Arizona-based integrated, holistic healthcare delivery system focused on improving care delivery for diverse populations with culturally sensitive programs that improve access, quality, and member trust. Through an integrated technology and services platform, culturally competent provider network and unique cultural care model, Equality Health helps managed care plans and health systems improve care for diverse populations while simultaneously making the transition to risk-based accountability. For more information about Equality Health, visit www.equalityhealth.com or follow @EqualityHealth on Facebook, @EqualityHealth on Twitter, and @EqualityHealth on LinkedIn.
About Bashas’ Family of Stores
Bashas’ Family of Stores – the family-owned grocer that operates Food City, AJ’s Fine Foods, Eddie’s Country Store, and both Bashas’ and Bashas’ Diné Supermarkets – is an Arizona-based company founded by brothers Ike and Eddie Basha, Sr. With more than 100 grocery stores, it is one of the largest employers in the state and one of the Best Places to Work in Arizona. Since the company’s inception in 1932, Bashas’ has given back more than $100 million to the communities it serves. For more information, visit www.bashas.com.
Media Contacts:
Tomás León
Equality Health
tleon@equalityhealth.com
(602)799-4382
Ashley Shick
Bashas’ Family of Stores
ashick@bashas.com
(480)201-2030