Community Health Network and Healthcare Clinic at Select Walgreens Begin Collaboration of Healthcare Services

INDIANAPOLIS, August 22, 2013 - Community Health Network has officially begun its clinical collaboration with the Healthcare Clinic at select Walgreens, formerly Take Care Clinics, creating one of the largest integrated continuums of healthcare delivery in Indiana. The goal of the collaboration is to offer seamless, quality healthcare in a convenient and accessible manner.

With the Affordable Care Act estimated to bring more than 400,000 new patients into Central Indiana’s healthcare systems according to the Indiana Hospital Association, the relationship aims to help address some of the needs and challenges facing both patients and healthcare providers.

“Between a growing aging population, many with chronic health conditions, and the influx of new patients resulting from the Affordable Care Act, Community Health Network and Walgreens are helping to provide greater access to quality healthcare,” said Tim Hobbs, MD., chief physician executive at Community Health Network. “We think consumers can benefit from this type of collaborative model-when the most integrated healthcare provider in the area joins forces with Walgreens to deliver more coordinated care that caters to the needs of patients and the community at large.”

Healthcare Clinic at select Walgreens offers immediate treatment for minor illnesses and injuries, and will also support Community in the treatment of its patients with chronic diseases, such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol and asthma. The clinics will also have the ability to assist patients who wish to schedule follow-up appointments with Community Health Network physicians and testing/ancillary services.

Within the next several months, the electronic health records of Healthcare Clinic patients will be fully integrated with Community CareConnect, the patient-centric, electronic medical records technology platform owned by Community Health Network. Patients will also be able to use advanced technology to schedule appointments at Community Physician Network practices, Healthcare Clinic sites, MedCheck walk-in clinic locations and imaging sites.

While Walgreens strongly encourages patients to have a designated primary care physician and a medical home for ongoing medical needs, the Community Health Network and Healthcare Clinic model provides patients with access to quality healthcare seven days a week, with extended evening and weekend hours. The model also provides direct communication between Community physicians and Healthcare Clinic nurse practitioners to facilitate care coordination.

“With the healthcare system today facing a myriad of challenges, our clinics can play an important role in enhancing patient access to quality, convenient and affordable care,” said Alan E. London, chief medical officer, Healthcare Clinic. “Working with a highly integrated health system such as Community Health Network offers an ideal opportunity to further coordinate patient care in the Central Indiana region. We look forward to working together to help patients in these communities get, stay, and live well.”

Healthcare Clinic locations at the following Walgreens locations are partnering with Community as part of the initiative:

• Carmel: 1215 S. Range Line Road
• Greenwood: 1290 N. State Road 135
• Greenwood: 700 US 31 South
• Indianapolis: 6191 N. Keystone Avenue
• Indianapolis: 11020 Pendleton Pike
• Indianapolis: 1530 N. Meridian Street
• Indianapolis: 8905 E. 10^th Street

About Community Health Network

Ranked among the nation’s most integrated healthcare systems, Community Health Network is Central Indiana’s leader in providing convenient access to exceptional healthcare services, where and when patients need them—in hospitals, health pavilions and doctor’s offices, as well as workplaces, schools and homes. As a non-profit health system with over 200 sites of care and affiliates throughout Central Indiana, Community’s full continuum of care integrates hundreds of physicians, specialty and acute care hospitals, surgery centers, home care services, MedChecks, behavioral health and employer health services. To learn more, visit eCommunity.com or call 800-777-7775.

About Walgreens

As the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2012 sales of $72 billion, Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) vision is to be the first choice in health and daily living for everyone in America, and beyond. Each day, Walgreens provides more than 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 8,105 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, medical practices, and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.

Community Health Network
Lynda de Widt, (317) 621-3636
ldewidt@eCommunity.com
or
Walgreens
Jim Cohn, (847) 315-2950
Jim.Cohn@walgreens.com