Walgreens and VillageMD Collaborating to Provide Primary Care Services

Primary care for adults, including seniors, will be offered by Walgreens and VillageMD, a national provider, through a collaborative effort, making Walgreens the latest in a number of pharmacies to announce an expansion of medical services.

According to a joint announcement, the 2 companies will have services available in 5 state-of-the-art primary care clinics that will operate adjacent to Walgreens stores in Houston, Texas. The first locations are scheduled to open by the end of 2019.

The clinics, branded ‘Village Medical at Walgreens,’ will provide comprehensive primary care services, integrated with pharmacists, nurses, and social workers to meet the full suite of patient needs, according to a press release from the companies. Across the nation, pharmacists at the chain and independent levels have been expanding their primary care offerings, including offering onsite rapid tests, immunizations, and even prescribing contraceptives in some states where they are authorized.

“This collaboration with VillageMD demonstrates our ongoing commitment to create neighborhood health destinations that bring affordable health care services to customers and provide a differentiated patient experience to the communities we serve,” Pat Carroll, MD, Walgreens chief medical officer and group vice president, healthcare services and clinical programs, said in a prepared statement.

Village Medical at Walgreens will utilize VillageMD’s patent-pending docOS system, which integrates data and technology to provide patients a 360-degree view of their health needs. docOS is designed to identify missing diagnoses and gaps in health, allowing doctors and patients to better manage chronic conditions. The technology includes an easy and convenient check in by phone or a kiosk, home-based monitoring, and tele-medicine, according to the announcement.

“VillageMD has a strong track record nationally of improving outcomes and reducing the cost of healthcare through their transformative primary care model. With more than 120 primary care physicians in their medical group in Houston, we look forward to working with them as we focus on the health and well-being of the community,” said Carroll.

“The integration of primary care and pharmacy is yet another example of the value-based commitment that Walgreens and VillageMD demonstrate to customers, patients and the broader healthcare landscape,” said Tim Barry, CEO of VillageMD. “We are honored to collaborate with such a trusted partner in the lives of so many Americans.”

Reference

Walgreens and VillageMD to Offer Primary Care Services [news release]. Deerfield, IL, Houston, TX and Chicago, IL; April 10, 2019: Walgreens and VillageMD. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190410005219/en/Walgreens-VillageMD-Offer-Primary-Care-Services-Houston. Accessed April 10, 2019.