DEERFIELD, Ill. and JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (PRWEB) November 16, 2016 -- Baptist Health and Walgreens today announced a collaboration focused on improving and coordinating healthcare to create greater convenience and value for residents of northeast Florida.
As part of the agreement, in early January 2017, Baptist’s retail pharmacy operations will open under Walgreens ownership at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville, while the pharmacies at the health system’s six other locations are planned to close, with continuity provided through access to any of the approximately 50 Walgreens pharmacies across the Jacksonville area. Baptist Health’s inpatient pharmacies and infusion therapy pharmacy will remain owned and operated by Baptist.
“This is a strategic relationship between the most comprehensive health care system in the region and a long-standing, trusted provider of pharmacy services throughout the community,” said Hugh Greene, Baptist Health president and CEO. “Together with Walgreens, we are eager to provide value while improving the overall health of the communities of northeast Florida.”
In addition, Baptist Health will own the clinical practice and operations management of retail health clinics within three Walgreens stores in Jacksonville and northeast Florida. These existing Walgreens Healthcare Clinics are expected to transition to Baptist in May 2017, at which time the clinics will become an extension of Baptist Health. Once opened under Baptist operation, the clinics will operate under the name of Baptist Health Clinic at Walgreens. Walgreens will continue to manage the existing Healthcare Clinics at these locations until that time.
The retail clinics will complement Baptist’s extensive primary care network and urgent care partnership with CareSpot. Baptist Health Clinic at Walgreens will give consumers improved access to the compassionate, affordable, high-quality care provided by Baptist with extended walk-in hours, convenient online scheduling and the option to access a variety of health care services without an appointment.
Greene added, “Our clinical agreement with Walgreens is part of our overall drive to meet rising consumer expectations with easy access to high quality, convenient care.”
Baptist Health and Walgreens also plan to use digital tools and incentives to help people manage their health. The Walgreens mobile app, for example, offers a variety of tools and programs including Balance® Rewards, a customer loyalty program that allows customers to earn points for health-related activities such as walking or running, logging weight, checking blood pressure and receiving vaccinations.
In addition, as the two organizations share a commitment to the greater Jacksonville community, Walgreens and Baptist will be planning several community initiatives in the near future.
“Collaboration is key in today’s healthcare environment, to help meet the changing needs of consumers, providers and the communities we serve,” said Amy Bixler, Walgreens regional healthcare director. “We’re pleased to work with Baptist Health to enhance care coordination across both pharmacy and retail clinic services, and look forward to bringing Walgreens pharmacists even closer to Baptist patients to further improve care delivery and outcomes.”
About Walgreens
Walgreens (http://www.walgreens.com), one of the nation's largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. More than 10 million customers interact with Walgreens each day in communities across America, using the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice. Walgreens operates 8,175 drugstores with a presence in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Walgreens omnichannel business includes Walgreens.com and VisionDirect.com. Approximately 400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail clinic services.
About Baptist Health
Baptist Health is a faith-based, mission-driven system in Northeast Florida comprised of Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville; Baptist Medical Center Beaches; Baptist Medical Center Nassau; Baptist Medical Center South; Baptist Clay Medical Campus and Wolfson Children’s Hospital – the region’s only children’s hospital. All Baptist Health hospitals, along with Baptist Home Health Care, have achieved Magnet™ status for excellence in patient care. Baptist Health is part of Coastal Community Health, a regional affiliation between Baptist Health, Flagler Hospital and Southeast Georgia Health System forming a highly integrated hospital network focused on significant initiatives designed to enhance the quality and value of care provided to our contiguous communities. Baptist Health has the area’s only dedicated heart hospital; orthopedic institute; women’s services; neurological institute, including comprehensive neurosurgical services, a comprehensive stroke center and two primary stroke centers; a Bariatric Center of Excellence; a full range of psychology and psychiatry services; urgent care services; and primary and specialty care physicians’ offices throughout Northeast Florida. Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center is a regional destination for multidisciplinary cancer care which is clinically integrated with MD Anderson Cancer Center, the internationally renowned cancer treatment and research institution in Houston. For more details, visit baptistjax.com
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Contact:
Cindy Hamilton, representing Baptist Health
Cindy.Hamilton(at)bmcjax(dot)com
904-202-4907
Scott Goldberg, representing Walgreens
Scott.Goldberg(at)walgreens(dot)com
847-315-7649
Deborah Circelli, Baptist Health, http://www.baptistjax.com/, +1 (904) 202-4916, Deborah.Circelli@bmcjax.com
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