DEERFIELD, Ill., October 22, 2012 - Recognizing the important role its community pharmacy team plays in helping people get, stay and live well, Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) (Nasdaq: WAG) celebrates its more than 27,000 pharmacists and their commitment to patient care in communities nationwide during American Pharmacists Month.
From patient counseling and chronic care management, to immunizations, health testing, wellness education and more, Walgreens and Duane Reade pharmacists are among the most accessible providers in health care today.
“Our pharmacists are playing a more prominent role in health care, and we continue to find new and innovative ways to meet the changing needs of patients and communities by advancing community pharmacy,” said Kermit Crawford, Walgreens president of pharmacy, health and wellness. “Each day, our pharmacists share valuable information, advice and support, and by spending more time with patients, we’re providing personalized care that helps our customers get, stay and live well.”
In 2009, Walgreens launched the largest flu prevention initiative in the company’s history, making immunizations available at all of its pharmacies in 50 states – an idea initially sparked by a pharmacist in Colorado. Today, with more than 27,000 certified immunizing pharmacists companywide, Walgreens is the largest provider of flu shots in the United States outside of the federal government. Walgreens immunization program has also expanded to offer all Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended vaccines in dozens of states, all of those in which pharmacists have privilege to administer. The program has helped demonstrate improvements in immunization rates through greater access to these and other services.
Access, education and care
This year, Walgreens launched a number of community-focused initiatives targeting various health conditions. Through these programs, pharmacists play an active role in explaining the importance of early detection, adherence and prevention:
- Well Experience Store Format: As part of this new format focused on transforming the traditional drugstore to a health and daily living destination, pharmacists are now in front of the pharmacy to answer questions, provide additional retail clinical services and encourage patients to seek consultation about their medications.
- Find Your Pharmacist search tool: Gives people a new and innovative way to select a Walgreens pharmacist by matching their health care needs with the areas of expertise, specialties, languages and clinical backgrounds of Walgreens pharmacists.
- HIV/AIDS Services: Two public-private initiatives with CDC and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) focused on reducing stigma around HIV testing and medication therapy management.
- Continued support surrounding diabetes awareness, blood pressure testing and smoking cessation. Pharmacy teams also offer valuable assistance to Medicare beneficiaries during with the annual election period, providing free plan reviews daily.
National Pharmacy Technician Day Oct. 23
October is also a time to thank and recognize pharmacy technicians and pharmacy interns for the value they bring to communities and to the profession on National Pharmacy Technician Day Oct. 23. Walgreens has more than 36,000 pharmacy technicians.
“As we continue to play a greater role in healthcare, we’re proud to say that, thanks to our pharmacy team members, we’re able to provide our patients and customers with better access to quality care in order to lower overall healthcare costs,” said Crawford.
About Walgreens
As the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2012 sales of $72 billion, Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) vision is to become America’s first choice for health and daily living. Each day, Walgreens provides nearly 6 million customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. The company operates 7,944 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.
Walgreen Co. Corporate Communications
Vivika Panagiotakakos, (847) 315-2923
http://news.walgreens.com
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