RediClinic LLC announced today that it has entered into a fifty-fifty partnership with Memorial Hermann, called RCMH LLC, for the operation of all RediClinics in the Greater Houston area. In this expanded relationship, Houston's largest healthcare provider will support the expansion of RediClinics in Houston-area H-E-B stores over the next few years. RediClinic LLC will be the managing partner. RediClinic currently has six locations in H-E-B stores in the Houston area and eight more are planned to open later this year. RediClinics are in-store facilities that offer consumers easy access to high-quality, routine healthcare services at affordable prices.
"Memorial Hermann is Houston's healthcare leader and we are honored to enter into an expanded, exclusive relationship with them in this market," said Walter Mischer, Jr., chairman of RediClinic. "RediClinic and Memorial Hermann share similar philosophies with regard to the importance of increasing healthcare access and affordability, and we have worked closely together since the first RediClinic opened in Houston nearly two years ago, so it was a logical next step for us to formalize and expand our partnership."
The new partnership includes physician oversight by Memorial Hermann-affiliated physicians, clinical quality initiatives, and co-marketing.
"Throughout our 100-year history, Memorial Hermann has been an innovator among Houston healthcare organizations," says Dan Wolterman, president and CEO of Memorial Hermann. "Decades ago, we were the first to open hospitals in the suburbs, and now through this partnership, we are the first to offer routine healthcare services to people in a convenient, retail setting."
RediClinics are staffed by certified nurse practitioners who work with local physicians to diagnose, treat and prescribe medications for common conditions, such as earaches, strep throat and upper respiratory infections. They also administer a wide range of preventive services, including health screenings, vaccinations and basic physical exams.
RediClinics are open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Adults and children over age two are welcome, no appointments are necessary and a typical visit takes about 15 minutes. RediClinic charges a flat rate of $59 for Get Well services and preventive services start at $15. The company also accepts co-payments from members of a growing number of insurance plans, including Aetna, Humana, UnitedHealthcare and Medicare. In addition, CIGNA co-payments will be accepted beginning May 1, 2007.
"Our new partnership with Memorial Hermann gives us additional resources to expand Houstonians' access to high-quality, affordable healthcare," said Web Golinkin, president and CEO of RediClinic, L.L.C. "This expansion will also enable us to work more closely with managed care companies, employers and public sector payers to reduce healthcare costs."
RediClinic has been recognized by the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) for its support of and compliance with the AAFP's desired attributes of retail health clinics and was the first retail healthcare provider to sign a formal agreement with the AAFP. Additionally, RediClinic complies with the eight principles recommended by the American Medical Association (AMA) and the standards recently mandated by the Convenient Care Association to ensure that high-quality care is provided at in-store health clinics nationwide.
"Our customers have responded positively to the presence of RediClinics in our stores and the complementary relationship they have with our in-store pharmacies," said Scott McClelland, president ofH-E-B's Houston division.
Following is a list of RediClinic's current and planned Houston-area locations:
Current Locations (inside H-E-B Stores):
May, 2007 Openings (inside H-E-B stores):
Fall, 2007 Openings (inside H-E-B stores):
Revolution Health Group (RHG), the company created by AOL co-founder Steve Case, is RediClinic LLC's largest investor and is providing the capital to support the national rollout of RediClinic.