Walgreens Sharpens Focus on Patient Care and Experience, Eliminating Task-Based Metrics for Pharmacy Staff Performance Reviews Chainwide

Walgreens pharmacists are playing a more important role in healthcare than ever before, and the company today announced another significant step that will allow its 24,000+ pharmacists to place even greater focus on patient care and outcomes. Walgreens is eliminating all task-based metrics for retail pharmacy staff as part of team members’ performance reviews, further enabling the company’s pharmacists to practice at the top of their license while creating a differentiated work environment within its pharmacies nationwide.

“We’re proud to take a strong position in the industry with this measure, one we are taking due to feedback from our pharmacy team members and also as part of our commitment to pharmacy quality and patient care,” said Holly May, executive vice president and global chief human resources officer, Walgreens Boots Alliance. “We’ve continued to make investments to elevate the role of our pharmacists and to foster an environment that enables them to best care for our patients and customers. Coupled with other infrastructure enhancements and technology investments, this allows our pharmacy team members to do the work they love and engage with our patients and communities in the way they were trained.”

The change in approach to talent management also comes as Walgreens is laying the groundwork for new areas of pharmacist care, such as testing and treating routine illnesses. Moving forward, pharmacy teams will be evaluated based solely on the behaviors that best support patient care and enhance the patient experience, in line with the company’s core values.

This is the latest action Walgreens is taking to care for its team members, building on numerous investments the company has made to address pharmacy staffing as well as to retain and reward pharmacy staff.

In August 2021, Walgreens increased the starting wage for hourly team members and has since taken a number of additional steps, including:

• Made incremental investments of $190 million dedicated to pharmacists and pharmacy technicians in fiscal year 2022, mainly in premium pay and bonuses, with further investments of $265 million for pharmacy staff planned for fiscal year 2023
• Increased base pay for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians and provided additional bonuses
• Implemented enhancements to the annual merit review process in fiscal year 2022 to provide compensation increases or lump sum payments for Walgreens pharmacists
• Investments in pharmacy and automation technology, including eight micro-fulfillment centers, helping to significantly reduce prescription fulfillment in stores and giving pharmacy staff more time to provide clinical services and patient consultations

As the most accessible healthcare providers in thousands of communities, Walgreens pharmacists are uniquely positioned to help improve patient outcomes and fill critical gaps within the U.S. healthcare system. The company is committed to providing the highest level of care and service to patients and customers, and to continuing to explore new and innovative ways to enhance both the team member and customer experience.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is included in the United States segment of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), an integrated healthcare, pharmacy and retail leader serving millions of customers and patients every day, with a 170-year heritage of caring for communities. As America’s most loved pharmacy, health and beauty company, Walgreens purpose is to champion the health and well-being of every community in America. Operating nearly 9,000 retail locations across America, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Walgreens is proud to be a neighborhood health destination serving approximately 9 million customers each day. Walgreens pharmacists play a critical role in the U.S. healthcare system by providing a wide range of pharmacy and healthcare services. To best meet the needs of customers and patients, Walgreens offers a true omnichannel experience, with fully integrated physical and digital platforms supported by the latest technology to deliver high-quality products and services in local communities nationwide.

SOURCE: Walgreens