Strategic partnership on track to open 600 primary care clinics in more than 30 U.S. markets over next four years
DEERFIELD, Ill. & CHICAGO, Sept. 9, 2021 – Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) and VillageMD today announced the opening of 18 Village Medical at Walgreens locations in the Phoenix area with plans to open four additional locations by end of this year. Through the Walgreens and VillageMD integrated care model, patients are able to receive comprehensive primary care alongside convenient and cost-effective pharmacy services.
“The strategic partnership between Walgreens and VillageMD aims to change how healthcare is delivered in this country,” said Jamie Vortherms, vice president of healthcare services, Walgreens. “By coordinating Village Medical primary care with Walgreens pharmacy services in our stores and virtually, the patient experience is now improved with more convenient, in-neighborhood access to care.”
In Arizona, chronic diseases such as heart disease, cancer, lung disease, stroke, diabetes and liver disease are responsible for seven out of 10 deaths among Arizonans each year.[i] Village Medical primary care physicians and Walgreens pharmacists work together to provide care for chronic conditions, as well as everyday illnesses and injuries. With more than 2,100 daily cases of COVID-19 in the Phoenix area in recent weeks, Village Medical at Walgreens locations provide access to COVID-19 testing and vaccinations through the Walgreens pharmacy, in addition to increased access to neighborhood primary care providers, via in-person or telehealth visits.[ii] Whether a chronic condition or an acute medical need, patients can benefit from building an ongoing care relationship with their primary care providers in a seamless, coordinated and comfortable location.
“Phoenix-area residents, and particularly patients who need ongoing care for chronic conditions, will benefit from our integrated care team and our high-tech, high-touch model,” said Brent Asplin, M.D., president of Village Medical. “We first entered the Phoenix market last year and we’re encouraged by the demand we’ve seen in the area – and we’re just getting started on delivering exceptional care to the community.”
The 22 Village Medical at Walgreens locations in Arizona will create more than 800 jobs within the community. Village Medical will employ nearly 500 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) well-compensated professionals.[iii]
Village Medical at Walgreens locations accept a wide range of health insurance options. Patients may access care and support through in-person, at-home and telehealth visits. To learn more about the Village Medical at Walgreens services and locations in Arizona, please visit https://www.villagemedical.com/locations/arizona.
For more information as well as multimedia assets, please visit the Walgreens Newsroom.
About Walgreens Boots Alliance
Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) is a global leader in retail pharmacy, impacting millions of lives every day through dispensing medicines, and providing accessible, high-quality care. With more than 170 years of trusted healthcare heritage and innovation in community pharmacy, the company is meeting customers’ and patients’ needs through its convenient retail locations, digital platforms and health and beauty products.
Including equity method investments, WBA has a presence in more than 25 countries, employs more than 450,000 people and has more than 21,000 stores.
WBA’s purpose is to help people across the world lead healthier and happier lives. The company is proud of its contributions to healthy communities, a healthy planet, an inclusive workplace and a sustainable marketplace. WBA is a participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business.
WBA is included in FORTUNE’s 2021 list of the World’s Most Admired Companies*. This is the 28th consecutive year that WBA or its predecessor company, Walgreen Co., has been named to the list.
More company information is available at www.walgreensbootsalliance.com.
*© 2021, Fortune Media IP Limited. Used under license.
About VillageMD
VillageMD, through its subsidiary Village Medical, is a leading, national provider of value-based primary care services. VillageMD partners with physicians to provide the tools, technology, operations, staffing support and industry relationships to deliver high-quality clinical care and better patient outcomes, while reducing the total cost of care. The Village Medical brand provides primary care for patients at traditional free-standing clinics, Village Medical at Walgreens clinics, at home and via virtual visits. VillageMD and Village Medical have grown to 15 markets and are responsible for more than 1.6 million patients. VillageMD is also the largest participating sponsor of CMS’ new Direct Contracting program and estimates it serves more than 56,000 patients. To learn more, please visit www.villageMD.com.
(WBA-GEN)
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements. All statements in this release that are not historical are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks, assumptions and uncertainties, including, but not limited to, those related to the timing and effectiveness of collaboration plans and implementation, the ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the strategic partnership, competitive actions in the marketplace, and the ability to achieve anticipated financial and operating results in the amounts and at the times anticipated, as well as those described in Item 1A (Risk Factors) of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.’s Form 10-K for its fiscal year ending August 31, 2019 and Form 10-Q for its fiscal quarter ending February 29, 2020, and in other documents that Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. files or furnishes with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Each of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., Walgreens and VillageMD do not undertake, and expressly disclaim, any duty or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement after the date of this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise.
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[i] Stats of the State of Arizona. National Center for Health Statistics. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/states/arizona/arizona.htm
[ii] Arizona coronavirus map: What do the trends mean for you? Mayo Clinic. https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19/map/arizona
[iii] Village Medical internal data.
