The Deerfield, Ill.-based Walgreens and the Chicago-based VillageMD, which provides a range of services to support primary care delivery, are opening a network of primary care clinics next to five Walgreens stores in the Houston area, accelerating the emergence of new models of care delivery connected to retail pharmacy outlets.
“Walgreens and VillageMD, a leading national provider of primary care, today announced a collaboration focused on providing adult patients in the Houston community with a transformative primary care experience,” according to a press release published on April 10.
According to the press release, “VillageMD will operate state-of-the-art primary care clinics next to five Walgreens stores in the Houston area, with the first locations scheduled to open by the end of 2019. The conveniently located clinics, branded ‘Village Medical at Walgreens,’ will provide comprehensive primary care services, integrated tightly with pharmacists, nurses and social workers to meet the full suite of patient needs. The clinics will be comprised of 2,500 square feet to serve the full adult continuum, including seniors.” And, the press release adds, “The two companies continue to explore expansion of ‘Village Medical at Walgreens’ primary care clinics in Houston and other markets.” It added that “The two companies continue to explore expansion of ‘Village Medical at Walgreens’ primary care clinics in Houston and other markets.”
The press release notes that “Village Medical at Walgreens patients will benefit from VillageMD’s patent-pending docOS system, which integrates data and technology to give patients the best care possible with a 360-degree view of their health needs. docOS identifies missing diagnoses and gaps in health, allowing doctors and patients to better manage the chronic conditions that impede health and drive costs in the healthcare system. The advanced technology includes an easy and convenient check in either by phone or a kiosk, home-based monitoring, and tele-medicine.”
And the release quotes Pat Carroll, M.D., Walgreens chief medical officer and group vice president, healthcare services and clinical programs, as stating that “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.”
