Walgreens Celebrates its Pharmacists during American Pharmacists Month

DEERFIELD, Ill – Oct. 21, 2013 – Walgreens (NYSE: WAG) (Nasdaq:WAG) is recognizing its more than 27,000 community pharmacists for the important role they play in helping people get, stay and live well, as part of American Pharmacists Month in October. Walgreens pharmacists, across more than 8,100 Walgreens and Duane Reade drugstores, are helping to transform the role of community pharmacy by providing a wide range of important, preventive health care services, including immunizations, health testing, chronic care management, patient counseling and more, while helping to bridge notable gaps in care today. 

 

During the 2012-13 flu season, which was deemed the most severe in the U.S. in more than a decade, Walgreens pharmacists administered more than 7 million flu shots, and more than 1.5 million other immunizations during the company's last fiscal year.

 

Walgreens pharmacists are also playing an expanded role as part of patient care teams by working closely to coordinate care with hospitals, health systems and physician groups on medication adherence and transition of care programs such as WellTransitions, and serving on clinical teams for several accountable care organizations (ACOs). With a greater need for access to health care services, the company has pharmacists with specialized training to help manage a growing number of chronic conditions such as diabetes, HIV/AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. 

 

“Pharmacy is at the core of our transformation from a retail drugstore to a health and daily living destination, and our pharmacists are among the most trusted health care professionals in thousands of communities nationwide,” said Kermit Crawford, Walgreens president of pharmacy, health and wellness. "As we continue to transform community pharmacy, this month we recognize the critical role our pharmacists are playing to help improve medication adherence, increase immunization rates and to educate patients on the many changes that are taking place across the health care landscape."

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. 22.

With more than 8,100 pharmacies across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Walgreens pharmacies are conveniently accessible within three miles of nearly two-thirds of the U.S. population.

 

As the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2013 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 8,123 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers, provider practices, and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 750 locations throughout the country.