IN-STORE CLINICS OFFER PATIENT CONVENIENCE

Walgreens plans to open >20 on-siteclinics in the Kansas City and St. Louis (Mo)metropolitan areas this summer. TheIllinois-based drugstore chain is partneringwith Take Care Health Systems to open 10in-store clinics in the Kansas City area andanother 10 in the St. Louis area. Later thisyear, the company will partner withInterFit Health's RediClinics and PinnacleHealth System to expand in-store clinics inother markets.

Patients will receive diagnosis andtreatment of common medical conditions,along with diagnostic screenings and vaccinations.The clinics, staffed by certifiednurse practitioners, will be open 7 days aweek, with no appointments required.Patients older than 24 months can betreated for routine family illnesses, includingstrep throat, ear and sinus infections,and seasonal allergies.

"By partnering with these companies,we can improve health care delivery bymaking it more convenient and affordablefor patients with common ailments," according to Don Huonker,Walgreens vicepresident of pharmacy services. "Theservices offered by our in-store clinics willcomplement care provided by thepatient's primary care physician. Our goalis to work with [physicians] so that theyare aware of all the patient's treatmentand can properly coordinate care."