A Grand-Rapids based provider of custom health services for businesses, schools and the public is addressing the need for expanded drive-up health services in Grand Rapids and Holland.
Starting Oct. 18, HealthBar expanded its hours and care at its drive-thru medical centers. The two locations, 412 Fuller Ave. NE in Grand Rapids and 12274 James St. in Holland, now offer drive-up COVID-19 Plus and Rapid PCR testing. The COVID-19 Plus test identifies COVID and the flu with one test, while the Rapid PCR Test is known for its accuracy and quick turnaround time of two hours or less.
Grand Rapids will serve customers 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, and 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, while Holland will serve customers from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday, with additional expanded hours expected later this year.
“We continue to hear from businesses and consumers across the country about rising health care costs, lack of transparency in pricing and decreased health options,” said Nathan Baar, founder and CEO of HealthBar.
Baar said that the company seeks to remove barriers to quality health care, such as price transparency, accessibility and proactive treatment with its growing number of drive-thru medical centers.
HealthBar provides a variety of health services similar to urgent care facilities, including general nurse practitioner assessments, minor injury and illness care, rapid strep A testing, a head-injury-concussion assessment and rapid urinalysis testing. There is no need for an appointment, as patients experience average wait times of 10 minutes for first-come, first-served care, which often costs less than standard urgent or emergency care.
“HealthBar is creating a new health care ecosystem that exists outside of the traditional medical system,” Baar said. “Our current health care system is focused more on treating illness than on health promotion and education.”
Baar said HealthBar seeks to empower patients to take care of themselves and utilize health care in a more consumeristic way.
“By keeping our services simple, effective and cost-transparent, we can provide highly effective interventions in a short amount of time and in a way that doesn’t present any billing surprises to the patient down the road,” he said. “Our team continues to focus on offering custom health services to our business customers that increase employee health outcomes and wellness while also decreasing overall cost to the business by reducing an individual’s dependence on the health care system.”
HealthBar’s service area includes Grand Rapids, Holland, Muskegon, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Detroit and surrounding areas. Its team of more than 375 clinicians consist of a medical director, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and licensed practical nurses who serve patients through its Healthcare Partnership Program which serves businesses — especially those that are self-insured — and Michigan school districts through its school nursing programs. The company also offers the option of concierge medical services.
