Health Mart Pharmacies Launch COVID-19 Test Collection Sites

IRVING, Texas, May 12, 2020—Health Mart^® pharmacies will offer free COVID-19 test collection beginning this week in select pharmacies across the U.S. The Health Mart family of community pharmacies are diligently providing testing options to rural and underserved populations. Sixty percent of Health Mart pharmacies serve low-income neighborhoods, a key reason for their partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide testing to the public free of charge. As part of the McKesson Corporation, Health Mart is committed to innovative public and private partnerships to help address the COVID-19 crisis.

All Health Mart coronavirus test collection sites can be found at DoINeedACovid19Test.com. The new online portal helps patients make test collection appointments at a nearby location after answering a few simple questions about symptoms.

Coronavirus symptoms and tests

According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. If individuals have a cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fever, chills, muscle pain, sore throat or a new loss of taste or smell, they should consider testing. Updated CDC guidelines now recommend testing for people with and without symptoms under certain conditions.

Participating Health Mart pharmacies will provide curbside or drive-through testing options from the safety of a patient’s car. Some locations will provide walk-up testing. The test is self-administered by the patient with a nasal swab and once the sample kit is sealed, Health Mart staff submit the package to the lab for processing. Results are ready in three to five business days.

Critical community COVID-19 response

With some communities lifting shelter-in-place orders, the need for COVID-19 testing is being answered by frontline healthcare workers like pharmacists. Health Mart has dedicated teams and resources to help provide the highest quality care to those in need.

“We need widespread coronavirus testing now. We all want life to return to normal and one way to help is more COVID-19 testing, even in rural areas. We’re proud to serve our community in these efforts to fight this virus,” said Nancy Lyons, chief pharmacist for Health Mart. “Our fearless pharmacists and healthcare heroes are here for you through the coronavirus pandemic.”

COVID-19 test collection locations

Health Mart pharmacies will provide appointment-based, curbside COVID-19 test collection for pre-screened individuals. Some of the pharmacies offering coronavirus test collection, include:

Lifeline Baltimore Pharmacy in Baltimore, Maryland

Gristedes Supermarkets Pharmacy in Brooklyn, New York

Renue Rx in Dallas and San Antonio, Texas

OK’Care Pharmacy in Las Vegas, Nevada

Hayat Pharmacy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Apollo Specialty Pharmacy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Grubb’s Southeast, Grubb’s of DC and Morgan Care Pharmacy in Washington, DC

The website infrastructure for DoINeedACovid19Test.com and laboratory services are provided by eTrueNorth, the U.S.-based healthcare technology company that enables laboratory testing at retail pharmacies. eTrueNorth is a contractor of the HHS.

About Health Mart

Health Mart^® is the nation’s fastest-growing independent pharmacy franchise with more than 5,000 community pharmacies across all 50 states. Health Mart pharmacists provide personalized care and take the time to help patients understand their prescription-drug coverage, how to safely manage multiple medications, and how to take advantage of lower-cost medication options. Patients can find a Health Mart pharmacy by visiting healthmart.com.

As an important member of the healthcare team, Health Mart pharmacists possess strong clinical knowledge and collaborate with patients and other healthcare providers to help patients manage and improve their health. The Health Mart franchise is owned by Health Mart Systems, Inc., which is part of McKesson Corporation. Pharmacists and pharmacy owners interested in learning more can explore join.healthmart.com.