Walgreens is expanding the scope of health care services being offered at its Take Care Clinics to help meet the ongoing challenge to the U.S. health care system, a statement from the company said Thursday.
This move comes against the backdrop of a physician shortage, aging population and a growing prevalence of chronic diseases and up to 30 million people projected to gain insurance coverage in 2014 through the Affordable Care Act.
The new services, now available at the more than 330 Take Care Clinics located at select Walgreens, include assessment, treatment and management for chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, asthma and others, as well as additional preventive health services.
“With this service expansion, Take Care Clinics now provide the most comprehensive service offering within the retail clinic industry, and can play an even more valuable role in helping patients get, stay and live well,” said Dr. Jeffrey Kang, senior vice president of health and wellness services and solutions, Walgreens. “Through greater access to services and a broader focus on disease prevention and chronic condition management, our clinics can connect and work with physicians and other providers to better help support the increasing demands on our health care system today.
Under the new service expansion, in addition to chronic condition management, Take Care Clinic providers can evaluate, recommend and order preventive health services, such as screenings or lab tests, based on a patient’s age, gender and family history.
Take Care Clinics are open seven days a week, with extended evening and weekend hours, and offer walk-in availability as well as same-day online appointment scheduling. Take Care Clinics accept most major insurance plans including Medicare and Medicaid, and offer affordable, transparent pricing for those without insurance coverage. Take Care’s board-certified nurse practitioners and physician assistants deliver patient-centric care, driving patient satisfaction rates that are consistently greater than 90 percent. Take Care providers use nationally accepted, evidence-based clinical guidelines to ensure quality care delivery.
