Albertsons & Cue® bring fast, lab-quality COVID‑19 testing to communities nationwide
Our first-of-its-kind partnership with Albertsons made fast, highly accurate diagnostics available in over 1,700 pharmacies.
Bring Cue to your Pharmacy
From a local program to a nationwide partnership
In the fall of 2021, Cue was approached by Albertsons Companies to help create an on-site COVID-19 testing program in King County, WA, home of the Seattle Seahawks. At that time, fans attending in-person games were required to show proof of vaccination or a negative test to enter.
The problem? Un-proctored self-tests weren’t accepted and PCR tests could take up to 3 days to return results. In addition to setting up testing tents outside Lumen Field, Cue and Albertsons deployed on-site testing in 40+ area pharmacies to bring fast, accurate testing to fans, visitors, and residents.
Following the local success, Albertsons continued to expand the program nationwide, bringing Cue’s unparalleled accuracy and speed to the broader market.
Why Cue was the right solution
99% accurate
PCR-quality test
Results in 20 minutes
Minimal training
Seamless integration
Reimbursable under CPT code 87635
Accuracy claim based on clinical study of lay users submitted to the FDA for Emergency Use Authorization.
The coding information contained here is for informational purposes only, and is not a guarantee of coverage or reimbursement for any product or service.
A fast, efficient rollout
The rapid adoption of Cue in 1,700 locations nationwide in just nine months strategically positions Albertsons as the only large provider offering on-premise PCR-quality diagnostic testing with fast results in just 20 minutes. Once the logistics of the program were in place, implementation of Cue testing was seamless because the system requires minimal training or infrastructure to set up and manage.
Participating Albertsons Co. pharmacies include
Changing the pharmacy paradigm
This program empowers Albertsons pharmacists to test and diagnose individuals with the Cue point-of-care testing system, a fundamental change that has the potential to shift the entire pharmacy industry paradigm.
This innovative approach offers consumers fast, highly-accurate testing right in their own neighborhood, so managing their health is nearly as convenient as grocery shopping.
Key takeaways and opportunities
This unique partnership offered Albertsons several notable opportunities to elevate their pharmacy services and business model beyond a traditional grocery store pharmacy to a community care provider.
High throughput, minimal infrastructure
The light footprint, quick results, and automated testing process make it easy for individual pharmacies to integrate Cue into their space and service more customers.
Expansion of pharmacy services
Albertsons was able to expand in-store pharmacy services, providing customers with a new level of care while at the same time implementing a new revenue stream for stores.
Flexible, scalable model
With minimal training and equipment, adding new stores could be done relatively quickly, while scaling up capabilities within individual pharmacies is as simple as ordering additional Cue Readers and tests.
Proactive healthcare
With additional tests in development, including sexual health and overall wellness tests, the Cue Integrated Care Platform will help Albertsons provide proactive care to customers using the same system.
Interested in implementing a testing program at your pharmacy or business?
Our team can help customize the right solution for your needs.
Contact usA seamless process from swab to results
An efficient testing process combined with the streamlined Cue Health App and Cue Dashboard make the program easy for pharmacies to set up and administer.
1 | Schedule
Appointments are scheduled via the Albertsons pharmacy website and/or offered on a walk-in basis.
2 | Swab
Pharmacy staff performs the test and inserts swab into the Cue Reader for processing.
3 | Results
Results are sent to the customer in approximately 20 minutes.
In their own words
“This collaboration encapsulates what we believe is a critical component to the future of diagnostics: immediate access to convenient, fast, and highly accurate testing solutions on the go.”
Ayub Khattak
Co-founder and CEO of Cue Health
“Adding this diagnostic test expands options for our customers to access proactive health and wellness solutions at our stores.”
Omer Gajial
EVP of Pharmacy and Health, Albertsons Cos.
Interested in bringing Cue to your pharmacy?
Our team can help customize the right solution for your business.
Cue’s COVID-19 Test has not been FDA cleared or approved; but has been authorized by FDA under an EUA. This product has been authorized only for the detection of nucleic acid from SARS-CoV-2, not for any other viruses or pathogens. The emergency use of this product is only authorized for the duration of the declaration that circumstances exist justifying the authorization of emergency use of in vitro diagnostics for detection and/or diagnosis of COVID-19 under Section 564(b)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, 21 U.S.C. § 360bbb-3(b)(1), unless the declaration is terminated or authorization is revoked sooner.