Since August 2017 when Piedmont Healthcare opened 27 retail clinics in Walgreens locations across metro Atlanta – known as Piedmont QuickCare at Walgreens – the retail clinics have seen more than 100,000 patients and have increased access to healthcare services for minor injuries and illnesses that are not life threatening, and provided preventive medicine such as physical exams, sports physicals, employee health screenings, flu shots, and vaccinations.
 
“Our goal in opening Piedmont QuickCare at Walgreens locations was to offer high-quality, patient-centered care, particularly for those in need of same-day care for minor illnesses or injuries close to home,” said Kevin Brown, CEO of Piedmont Healthcare. “We are proud to have provided people with this low-cost model of care that offers great service. We are excited about what the future holds.”
 
The retail clinics complement Piedmont Healthcare’s existing virtual care (Piedmont OnCall), primary care, and urgent care options. Online scheduling at Piedmont.org, on the Piedmont Now app or by using MyChart often makes Piedmont QuickCare the quickest and most convenient way for patients to get the care they need. Close to half of the patients served by Piedmont QuickCare have booked their appointments online. Many have commented about the convenience of being able to wait in the comfort of their home prior to the time of their appointments and that providers have seen them right away after they arrive.
 
“In addition to the feedback about how easy and efficient Piedmont QuickCare is, our patients also have commented about the excellent care that our nurse practitioners provide and how attentive and caring they are,” said Susan Prayter, DNP, Director of Retail-Piedmont QuickCare Clinics. “There is a strong culture among our providers to provide high-quality, evidence-based medicine and we are very proud of the work they do.”
 
Piedmont has a relationship with Walgreens that dates to 2009. The parties’ collaboration on the QuickCare clinics is aimed at improving patient care, quality and satisfaction while reducing healthcare costs. In the future, the model may expand into markets with a need for access and services, which would include chronic care management or post-discharge follow-up for hospital patients.