SmartCare Family Medical Centers, a Greenwood Village-based firm that operates health clinics inside retail stores, today said that it will open its first clinics in Colorado.
The company has struck a deal to open two clinics inside Wal-Mart stores in Loveland and Greeley on Sept. 26. The clinics are the beginning of a significant expansion along the Front Range, the company said.
SmartCare emerged as an early leader of an emerging trend of placing walk-in clinics in discount stores and pharmacies. The clinics are staffed by nurse practitioner and certified medical assistants who have a physician on call. They primarily test for and treat common ailments like ear infections, sore throats and seasonal allergies.
The clinics also provide services including flu shots and other vaccinations, school and employment physicals and cholesterol screenings.
As part of its Colorado expansion, SmartCare also said to2day that is has appointed Brian Erling as state medical director.
Erling is a founding partner of Apex Emergency Group and an emergency physician at Centura St. Anthony Central and Centura St. Anthony North hospitals. He has also worked as an emergency physician for the Denver Broncos.
SmartCare had previously opened clinics in South Carolina and North Carolina and has struck deals with retailer including grocery chain Fred Meyers to open clinics in their stores. The company has said it intends to open as many as 1,050 centers within the next five years.
