Albertsons Pharmacies Partner on Mental Health Treatment
Through a partnership with telepsychiatry practice Frontier Psychiatry, pharmacists at Albertsons and Safeway locations throughout Montana can now administer long-acting injectable medications for mental illness treatment and substance use disorders.
“This partnership is a game changer in making quality mental health care more accessible to everyone in Montana,” said Dr. Eric Arzubi, CEO of Billings, Mont.-based Frontier Psychiatry. “Long-acting injectable medications have been proven to drastically improve outcomes for individuals experiencing severe mental illness and substance use disorders. We are excited to begin offering this option to our patients.”
The partnership is made possible through a collaborative practice agreement that creates a formal relationship between pharmacists and physicians or other providers that allows for expanded services that the pharmacist can provide to patients and the health care team. It’s particularly imperative in Montana, where a majority of the state is rural.
“In Montana, we have predominantly rural communities, coupled with increasing demands placed on the health care system, so access to treatment and medical care can be extremely challenging,” said Kori Miller, Albertsons/Safeway patient care services manager. “Providing timely access to medication and treatments is vital to all our patient populations and can have a profound impact on the quality of life for those with mental health and substance abuse concerns.”
Continued Miller: “The secondary impacts to properly treated individuals on the community around them compound the already significant benefits to the patients themselves. I am delighted to be a part of the solution and provide a life-changing service for our communities.”
The program is now available at Albertsons and Safeway pharmacy locations in Great Falls, Helena, Miles City, Polson, Bozeman, Billings and Missoula. It will expand to all Albertsons and Safeway pharmacy locations throughout the state by the fall.
Boise, Idaho-based Albertsons operates more than 2,200 retail stores with 1,700-plus pharmacies, 402 associated fuel centers, 22 dedicated distribution centers and 20 manufacturing facilities. It operates stores across 34 states and the District of Columbia under 24 well-known banners, among them Albertsons, Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, Shaw’s, Acme, Tom Thumb, Randalls, United Supermarkets, Pavilions, Star Market, Haggen, Carrs, Kings Food Markets and Balducci’s Food Lovers Market. Albertsons is No. 9 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2022 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.
