Kroger Health Announces New Wellness Resource to Promote Safe and Responsible Use of Prescription Medications for Adults

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Aug 21, 2020, 08:00 ET

CINCINNATI and WASHINGTON, Aug. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), announced the launch of a new interactive prescription drug safety course for adults. The free wellness resource is made available through Kroger Health's relationship with leading social-impact technology innovator EVERFI, Inc.

In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) identified opioid overdoses as the leading cause of injury-related death in the U.S., taking the life of more than 67,000 people. Of those deaths, almost 70% involved a prescription or illicit opioid. A contributing factor for the prevalence of opioid misuse in the U.S. is Americans' perception of prescription drugs as safe simply because they are prescribed by a physician. Kroger Health's new wellness resource provides patients, caregivers and pharmacy employees with necessary information to better understand the dangers of misusing prescription drugs.

"At Kroger Health, our vision is to help people live healthier lives," said Colleen Lindholz, president of Kroger Health. "Providing this new prescription drug safety course for our associates and customers will help them better understand their prescription medication, techniques to properly dispose of that medication, and ways to help family and friends who may be struggling with a prescription misuse disorder."

The wellness resource uses interactive scenarios and self-guided activities to lead adult prescription drug users through 10 learning modules, covering topics such as using safe disposal methods, recognizing and recovering from an opioid misuse situation, and supporting friends and family suffering from opioid misuse or opioid use disorder. The learning resource is mobile-friendly and designed to simplify vast quantities of information available to provide users with the knowledge they need when they need it.

"Information about prescription drugs is often overwhelming to the average person, who is trying to follow the instructions and take their medication as prescribed," said Jon Chapman, co-founder and president, EVERFI. "The information that is readily available often speaks to what not to do and doesn't provide guidance on alternatives. Kroger Health is providing information that educates and guides people through the methods to take their medications safely, an approach that has been missing as we address the opioid crisis."

Kroger Health's new resource expands previous work with EVERFI to deliver a high school level prescription drug safety course. In 2018, Kroger Health joined the Prescription Drug Safety Network, a national coalition committed to empowering Americans with the skills and knowledge to make safe decisions about prescription medications through digital education. Through its work with the Prescription Drug Safety Network, Kroger Health has impacted more than 43,000 high school students across the United States.

Kroger Health's wellness resource is available to all adults at krogerhealth.everfi-next.net.

About Kroger Health
Kroger Health, the healthcare division of The Kroger Co., is one of America's leading retail healthcare organizations, with over 2,200 pharmacies and 220 clinics in 35 states serving more than 14 million customers. Our team of 22,000 healthcare practitioners - from pharmacists and nurse practitioners, to dietitians and technicians – are committed to helping people live healthier lives. We believe in practicing at the top of our licenses and enabling "food as medicine" to help prevent and manage chronic disease. We are dedicated to providing testing and wellness services to help Americans combat the COVID-19 crisis. Learn more at www.krogerhealth.com.

About The Kroger Co.
At The Kroger Co. (NYSE: KR), we are Fresh for Everyone™ and dedicated to our Purpose: To Feed the Human Spirit®. We are, across our family of companies, nearly half a million associates who serve over 11 million customers daily through a seamless shopping experience under a variety of banner names. We are committed to creating #ZeroHungerZeroWaste communities by 2025. To learn more about us, visit our newsroom and investor relations site.

About EVERFI, Inc.
EVERFI is an international technology company driving social change through education to address the most challenging issues affecting society ranging from financial wellness to prescription drug safety to workplace conduct and other critical topics. Founded in 2008, EVERFI is fueled by its Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) community engagement platform and has reached more than 41 million learners globally. Recognized as one of the World's Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company in 2020, EVERFI powers community engagement in a sustained manner to empower individuals and organizations to make an impact within their communities. The Company also convenes Networks to bring together financial institutions, colleges and universities, and some of the largest corporations to leverage insights and connections to drive impact. To learn more about EVERFI visit everfi.com or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or Twitter @EVERFI.

SOURCE The Kroger Co.