Coordinated primary care and pharmacy services make healthcare easier and more accessible
DEERFIELD, Ill. & CHICAGO, Nov. 12, 2021 – Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) and VillageMD today announced plans to open 20 new Village Medical at Walgreens primary care practices in the Tampa area over the next year. The first Village Medical at Walgreens location in Tampa opened on Oct. 26 at 6996 U.S. Highway 19 North in Pinellas Park, with several more openings to follow in early 2022. These openings represent expansion into the second major market in Florida, following Orlando, which will have 10 locations by the end of 2021.
“Tampa residents, and particularly patients who need ongoing care for chronic conditions, will benefit from our coordinated care team model,” said Dr. Danielle Gilosca, a local Village Medical physician. “By teaming up with the pharmacists at Walgreens, we’re able to come together to better serve patients and provide them easy access to comprehensive primary care where and when they need it. During my career, this is the most collaborative I've been with the pharmacist as part of our care team.”
The number of Florida residents with multiple chronic diseases is growing. If current trends continue, in 2030, more than 6 million people in Florida will be living with three or more chronic diseases,[i] yet many people lack access to primary care.
Through the Walgreens and VillageMD coordinated care model, patients receive comprehensive primary care from physicians alongside convenient pharmacy services. Village Medical primary care physicians and Walgreens pharmacists work together to provide care for chronic conditions, as well as everyday illnesses and injuries.
“Walgreens and VillageMD are bringing physicians and pharmacists together to improve overall care for Tampa residents. Our coordinated model helps to lower costs and improve outcomes for patients, particularly those with chronic illnesses,” said Patricia Llanes, registered pharmacist at a Tampa area Walgreens. “Our pharmacy team can help select affordable medication options and have prescriptions ready for patients when they leave the primary care visit, whether for in-store pick-up, drive-thru, or delivery.”
Soon, the 20 Village Medical at Walgreens locations in the Tampa Bay area will create more than 990 jobs within the community. Village Medical will employ nearly 400 well-compensated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) healthcare professionals.[ii]
Walgreens and VillageMD have formed a strategic partnership and the companies are on track to open 1,000 primary care practices by 2027. More than 80 Village Medical at Walgreens practices will be opened by the end of 2021. With more than 50 percent of the practices in medically underserved areas, Village Medical at Walgreens locations will help meet the needs of all people, including those who may not have access to healthcare and are at greater risk of health disparities.
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. Patients can learn more and book appointments by visiting https://www.villagemedical.com/locations/florida.
For more information as well as multimedia assets, please visit the Walgreens Newsroom.
About Walgreens Boots Alliance
Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) is an integrated pharmacy, healthcare and retail leader serving millions of customers and patients every day, with a 170-year heritage of caring for communities.
A trusted, global innovator in retail pharmacy with approximately 13,000 locations across the U.S., Europe and Latin America, WBA plays a critical role in the healthcare ecosystem. The company is reimagining local healthcare and well-being for all as part of its purpose – to create more joyful lives through better health. Through dispensing medicines, improving access to a wide range of health services, providing high quality health and beauty products and offering anytime, anywhere convenience across its digital platforms, WBA is shaping the future of healthcare.
WBA has more than 315,000 team members and a presence in nine countries through its portfolio of consumer brands: Walgreens, Boots, Duane Reade, the No7 Beauty Company, Benavides in Mexico and Ahumada in Chile. Additionally, WBA has a portfolio of healthcare-focused investments located in several countries, including China and the U.S.
The company is proud of its contributions to healthy communities, a healthy planet, an inclusive workplace and a sustainable marketplace. WBA has been recognized for its commitment to operating sustainably: it is an index component of the Dow Jones Sustainability Indices (DJSI) and was named to the 100 Best Corporate Citizens 2021.
(WBA-GEN)
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.
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.
[i] What is the impact of chronic disease in Florida? Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease: A Vision for a Healthier Florida. Accessed at https://www.fightchronicdisease.org/sites/default/files/download/PFCD_FL.FactSheet_FINAL1.pdf on Oct. 27, 2021.
[ii] Village Medical internal data.