Geisinger, Weis Markets offer in-store clinics

April 4, 2006 DANVILLE – Geisinger Health System will open in-store clinics in Weis Markets beginning this summer, the two organizations announced today.

The first CareWorks Convenient Healthcare clinic will be located in the Weis Market in Clarks Summit, PA, near Scranton in space that Geisinger will lease from Weis.  At least four additional clinics are planned to open within a year.  They are the region’s first in-store clinics, offering routine medical tests and treatment for minor illnesses such as sore throat, flu-like symptoms, rashes, ear aches and other common problems.

Convenient clinic hours will be 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.  No appointment is necessary, and little or no waiting time is expected, with pagers available if someone is being seen when a customer arrives.  The clinic visit itself is expected to last 15 minutes or less.  Services are available for adults and children ages 1 year and older.

“CareWorks is an innovative concept that encourages busy people on tight schedules to take care of their health in a safe, reliable and efficient manner,” said Glenn Steele, Jr., MD, president and chief executive officer, Geisinger Health System.  “Our physician-supervised, certified nurse practitioners will follow Geisinger clinical guidelines in providing care, ensuring that it’s of the highest quality.”

Geisinger physicians will remotely support the certified nurse practitioners who will staff the CareWorks clinics.  Nurse practitioners are registered nurses with master’s degrees who are licensed to treat common illnesses and write most prescriptions.

“We strive to provide our shoppers with convenience and safety in all of our products and services,” said Norman S. Rich, president and chief executive officer, Weis Markets.  “Consumers can come into our store, shop for their needs and be evaluated and treated for a minor illness or health screening that might otherwise go untreated or be seen in an emergency room.  It couldn’t be more convenient and cost-effective.  The clinics fit into today’s consumer lifestyle, bringing the additional benefit of healthcare to one-stop shopping convenience at Weis Markets.”

Customers to CareWorks can receive treatment for minor illnesses and injuries such as bronchitis, ear infections, minor sprains and strains, flu symptoms and pinkeye; cholesterol testing and other health screenings; sports and camp physicals; immunizations and laboratory tests, including reference lab testing if required.  Prices are expected to range from $10 to $100, with an average cost of about $55, including most laboratory testing.  Some of the services are covered by health insurance, depending on individual benefit plans.  All costs are substantially less than fees in urgent care centers or emergency rooms.

But CareWorks is not intended to be a substitute for a personal physician, Steele said.  CareWorks nurse practitioners will work closely with each patient’s personal physician to coordinate care.  People who are treated at CareWorks also will have an opportunity to register for MyGeisinger, giving them remote web access to their laboratory results, medication history and other personal health record data.

Geisinger Health System is an integrated physician-led health services organization serving more than two million residents throughout central and northeastern Pennsylvania, and one of the largest rural healthcare providers in the United States. It includes a 650-member group practice, tertiary/quaternary medical centers, one of the nation’s first rural children’s hospitals, acute-care community hospitals, adult and pediatric trauma centers, an alcohol and chemical dependency treatment center, two research centers, 42 community practice offices, and one of the largest not-for-profit rural HMOs in the country.  Celebrating its 91st year, Geisinger Medical Center is a 410-bed teaching, referral and research hospital, Level I trauma center with additional qualifications in pediatrics, and one of the largest hospitals in the region. It is also home to the Janet Weis Children’s Hospital, a comprehensive provider of pediatric care. The hospital’s medical staff represents more than 75 specialties and includes about 350 physicians, who have distinguished themselves nationally and internationally as clinicians, teachers, researchers and leaders in the healthcare industry.

Weis Markets, which is based in Sunbury, PA, is a Mid-Atlantic supermarket company. It currently operates 157 stores in six states: Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia and West Virginia. The company also owns SuperPetz, a pet supply superstore chain with 32 units in 11 states.

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