Ukrop's chasing federal funds for diabetic care

Drug Store News,  May 20, 2002  

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RICHMOND, Va. -- Ukrop's Super Markets has obtained American Diabetes Association certification for its diabetic-care initiative and has applied to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for permission to begin providing fee-based pharmacy care services to Medicare patients.

"We're trying to get a provider number from Medicare," said John Beckner, director of pharmacy operations and whole health for the chain.

Ukrop's operates pharmacies in 21 of its 28 stores. If its application is approved, the company is likely to be one of the first retail pharmacy operators to get paid by the federal government for providing a diabetes care regimen to Medicare patients by way of its pharmacists' services.

Roughly 10 Ukrop's pharmacists have been accredited by the American Pharmaceutical Association and other groups to provide diabetic care and education to patients, Beckner said.

Currently, five Ukrop's stores participate in diabetic care and education.

The chain also is preparing to expand its partnership with the American Heart Association, which has developed a patient-education kiosk outfitted with an interactive software program to provide information on heart disease and stroke. "We've had the kiosk in one store since last November, and we're going to install it in two more stores," said Beckner.

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