TAKE CARE HEALTH SYSTEMS REITERATES COMMITMENT TO YEAR-ROUND MODEL IN LIGHT OF INDUSTRY CHANGES
03.10.09
CONSHOHOCKEN, PA. — March 10, 2009 — Take Care Health Systems, the largest and most comprehensive provider of convenient care clinics and worksite health and wellness centers in the country and a wholly owned subsidiary of Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ: WAG), today reiterated its commitment to the retail clinic business model. The company laid out key strategies to ensure its clinics meet their goal of delivering high-quality, convenient and affordable care to its communities.
Take Care Health Systems President and CEO Peter Miller said, "Invariably flu season is the busiest time for Take Care Clinics, but we are focused on providing year-round service to patients, filling a distinct need for greater access to high-quality health care. To that end, for two years we have been focused on taking the seasonality out of the business. We are doing this through the introduction of additional services that are being well-received by our local communities. Further, through greater integration with the medical community, we will be introducing new services in the near-future that are truly preventive in nature."
Specifically, Miller mentioned:
- Year-round service offerings including health evaluations, an expanded vaccine suite and in the near future, more comprehensive skin assessment and treatment.
- A pilot program in a portion of Tampa and Orlando clinics, aligning with Walgreens specialty pharmaceutical business to position Take Care Clinics as an administration site for the injection and infusion of specialty drugs. For instance, those who suffer from allergic asthma can receive their Xolair injection treatment at the clinic, as well as infusion of Reclast for osteoporosis.
- Potential opportunities to integrate with the medical community for disease stabilization services around hypertension and cardiovascular disease.
The company also noted that its most mature clinics either are already profitable or expect to be profitable two to three years from opening.
"We are very pleased with the performance of our clinics,” Miller said. “We understand the need to grow awareness in communities through year-round, convenient offerings. Moreover, we recognize the introduction of new services furthers our opportunity to truly impact the communities in which we serve, leading to greater health system reform.
"Take Care Health Systems is positioned like no other company in the retail clinic industry, given Walgreens commitment to Take Care Health as a key health and wellness platform. The corporate vision, coming closer to reality every day, is to bring together the retail clinic business with worksite health and wellness centers and the company's nationwide pharmacy network. We are creating a low-cost, high-quality, preventive care solution not only for clinic patients, but also for an employer’s workers, dependants and retirees.”
Take Care Health Systems currently manages more than 700 convenient care clinics and worksite health and wellness centers, including 338 Take Care Clinics at Walgreens drugstores in 35 markets and 19 states.
About Take Care Health SystemsSM
Take Care Health SystemsSM (www.takecarehealthsystem.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Walgreens and part of Walgreens Health and Wellness division, is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and convenient care clinics in the country. TCHS is comprised of Take Care Consumer Solutions (www.takecarehealth.com) and Take Care Health Employer Solutions (www.takecareemployersolutions.com). Take Care Consumer Solutions manages Take Care Clinics at select Walgreens drugstores throughout the country. Patient care at each of the Take Care Clinics is provided by Take Care Health Services, an independently owned state professional corporation established in each market. Take Care Health Employer Solutions manages primary care, health and wellness, occupational health, pharmacy and fitness centers at large employer campuses. Combined, Take Care Health Systems manages more than 700 worksite and retail health care centers.
About Walgreens
Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2008 sales of $59 billion. The company operates 6,679 drugstores in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and services and cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services in America through its retail drugstores, Walgreens Health Services division and Walgreens Health and Wellness division. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC and SeniorMed LLC (a pharmacy provider to long-term care facilities). Walgreens Health and Wellness division includes Take Care Health Systems (www.takecarehealthsystem.com), the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.
Key Contacts:
Darren Brandt, Sloane & Company
212-446-1861
dbrandt@sloanepr.com
Lauren Nestler
for Take Care Health Systems
484-351-3212
Lauren.Nestler@takecarehealth.com