Walgreens, VillageMD to Open 500 to 700 Full-Service Physician Offices Within Next 5 Years

Walgreens will be the first national pharmacy chain to offer full-service physician offices co-located at its stores at a large scale following a successful trial that began last year, according to a press release from Walgreens Boot Alliance.

The partnership with VillageMD will open 500 to 700 “Village Medical at Walgreens” physician-led primary care clinics in more than 30 US markets in the next 5 years.

The clinics are intended to integrate pharmacists as critical members of VillageMD’s multi-disciplinary team to deliver the very best health care to patients, according to the press release. Further, the clinics will be staffed by more than 3600 primary care providers who will be recruited by VillageMD.

A wide range of health insurance options will be accepted, offering comprehensive primary care across a broad range of physician services, according to Walgreens. In addition, 24/7 care will be available via telehealth and at-home visits. According to the press release, more than 50% will be located in Health Professional Shortage Areas and Medically Underserved Areas/Populations, as designated by the US Department of Health and Human Services.

The plan follows a trial with 5 in-store clinics in the Houston, Texas area, which reported high patient satisfaction and Net Promoter Scores over 90.

“This rollout is a major advancement of 1 of Walgreens Boots Alliance’s four key strategic priorities, Creating Neighborhood Health Destinations,” said executive vice chairman and CEO of Walgreens Boot Alliance, Stefano Pessina, in a press release. “These clinics at our conveniently located stores are a significant step forward in creating the pharmacy of the future, meeting many essential health needs all under one roof as well as through other channels.”

The availability of Village Medical telehealth providers on Walgreens Find Care was also announced by VillageMD and Walgreens, which is an online platform that connects patients with a wide range of health services.

REFERENCE

Walgreens and VillageMD to open 500 to 700 full-service doctor offices within next five years in a major industry first. Walgreens Boot Alliance. https://www.walgreensbootsalliance.com/news-media/press-releases/2020/walgreens-and-villagemd-open-500-700-full-service-doctor-offices. Published July 8, 2020. Accessed July 9, 2020.