Stop & Shop Opens In-store Clinic

The Stop & Shop Supermarket Co. has teamed with Norwalk Hospital FastCare to offer a new in-store health clinic to customers in Fairfield, Conn. Officially opening on May 20, the clinic will provide convenient, affordable treatment of a variety of common illnesses, as well as preventative health care options.

"For many years our pharmacists have been strong health resources in our stores by providing information and offering flu clinics," said Arlene Putterman, public and community relations manager at Stop & Shop's New York Metro division, in Purchase, N.Y. "This new partnership with Norwalk Hospital FastCare will expand the health-and-wellness resources we are able to offer to our customers and provide them with an alternative choice for those needing medical treatment. This concept increases accessibility to health care at a low, set cost, and adds value for our customers."

"Cost, quality and accessibility are extremely important to us at Norwalk Hospital," added the hospital's VP of business development, Michael R. Marks. "This partnership will enable us to better serve local residents."

FastCare Details

Taking walk-in patients only, FastCare, a division of Green Bay, Wis.-based Bellin Health Systems, accepts most insurance, and office visit co-pays apply. For patients with high-deductible plans or no insurance, a FastCare visit costs $82, including simple lab tests. Norwalk Hospital nurse practitioners and physician assistants staff the clinics. Following each visit, a report will be sent to a patient's primary care physician and immediate referrals made to a physician when symptoms are beyond the clinic's scope of services.

Additionally, faster pharmacy service will be provided based on immediate transmittal of prescriptions to the Stop & Shop pharmacy or a patient's preferred pharmacy.

An Ahold company, Stop & Shop employs about 59,000 associates and operates 395 stores in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New York and New Jersey.