Heritage Provider Network, one of California’s largest health care provider networks, has become the latest Rite Aid Health Alliance partner.

Rite Aid and HPN will offer coordinated, comprehensive care and support to patients with chronic and polychronic conditions such as congestive heart failure, diabetes, COPD, hypertension and high cholesterol. 
 

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif. — Heritage Provider Network (HPN), one of California’s largest health care provider networks, has become the latest Rite Aid Health Alliance partner.

HPN’s Richard Merkin with Rite Aid’s Ken Martindale at the drug chain’s Woodland Hills, Calif., store.

Rite Aid Corp. president and chief operating officer Ken Martindale joined Dr. Richard Merkin, president and chief executive officer of HPN, at a press conference to announce the partnership on Tuesday at the drug chain’s store in Woodland Hills, Calif.

"Known as a pioneer in population health management, Heritage Provider Network has long believed in and offered a wide array of innovative and preventative health care services, making them a natural partner for us as we continue to bring this one-of-a-kind health care program to the communities we serve," Martindale said in a statement.

Rite Aid and HPN will offer coordinated, comprehensive care and support to patients with chronic and polychronic conditions such as congestive heart failure, diabetes, COPD, hypertension and high cholesterol. HPN physicians and Rite Aid pharmacists will work with specially trained care coaches, located in selected Rite Aid pharmacies, to achieve specific physician-identified wellness goals and improve patients’ overall health and self-management abilities.

"Improving health outcomes and reducing the cost of care for chronic and polychronic patients is a top priority for us at HPN," said Merkin. "We look forward to working with Rite Aid in this collaboration to provide additional care services to our patients in communities throughout Southern California at convenient Rite Aid pharmacies."

Rite Aid’s Woodland Hills location features the retailer’s wellness store format.

The full range of services available to patients participating in the program includes medication compliance support; comprehensive medication reviews and reconciliation; nutrition and weight management information; disease education; exercise coaching; and smoking cessation support.

In order to ensure collaboration between Rite Aid and primary care physicians, physician orders will be transmitted electronically to the care coach and pharmacist and reports of all patient interactions within Rite Aid pharmacies will be shared with the member’s physician.

HPN affiliates participating in Rite Aid Health Alliance include Bakersfield Family Medical Center; Coastal Communities Physician Network; Desert Oasis Health Care; High Desert Medical Group; Lakeside Medical Group; Regal Medical Group; Sierra Medical Group, Affiliated Doctors of Orange County; and Heritage California ACO.

The Rite Aid Health Alliance pilot partnership with the network is the largest to date since the retailer announced the program in March. Thirty Rite Aid pharmacies and eight HPN affiliates across Southern California, as well as its ACO, are participating. The rollout, taking place in two phases, is expected to be complete by mid-July.

Rite Aid previously announced it is piloting alliance partnerships in Greensboro, N.C.; Glendale, Calif.; Buffalo, N.Y.; and Hershey, Pa.