Coordinated primary care and pharmacy services make healthcare easier than ever before
DEERFIELD, Ill. & CHICAGO, Nov. 16, 2021 – Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) and VillageMD today announced plans to open more than 20 new Village Medical at Walgreens primary care practices in the Dallas area over the next year. The first Village Medical at Walgreens location in Dallas opened on Oct. 26 at 5001 Ross Ave., with several more openings to follow in November and December. These openings represent expansion into the fourth major market in Texas, following Houston, El Paso and Austin.
“Dallas residents, and particularly patients who need ongoing care for chronic conditions, will benefit from our coordinated care team model and extended service hours through both in person and virtual visits,” said Joseph Ventimiglia, M.D., Ph.D., a local Village Medical physician. “By teaming up with Walgreens pharmacists, we’re able to better serve patients and streamline their healthcare experience. This is the first time outside of a university medical center that I have been able to work collaboratively with a pharmacist.”
Chronic disease accounts for 75 percent of Texas healthcare expenditures,[1] yet many areas lack access to primary care. In fact, Texas ranks 47th in the nation in the number of primary care providers accessible to residents.[2]
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.
“With our integrated care team, Walgreens pharmacists are able to offer more coordinated patient care,” said Rick Fernandez, registered pharmacist and regional healthcare director for Greater Texas, Walgreens. “Our pharmacists can often have prescriptions ready after doctor’s appointments and ensure individuals have convenient access to medication refills and affordable substitution options.”
Soon, these Village Medical at Walgreens locations in Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex will create more than 748 jobs within the community. Village Medical will employ nearly 340 well-compensated STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) professionals.[3]
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 including Medicare. 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/texas.
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 practices, Village Medical at Walgreens practices, 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.
[1] Chronic Disease Prevention in Texas: Presentation to the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services. Accessed at https://www.dshs.texas.gov/legislative/2016-Reports/Chronic-Disease-Prevention-in-Texas-Presentation-1-15-16.doc on Oct. 27, 2021.
[2] America’s Health Rankings: United Health Foundation. 2020 Annual Report, Texas. Accessed at https://assets.americashealthrankings.org/app/uploads/state-summaries-annual-20201.pdf on Oct. 25, 2021.
[3] Village Medical internal data.