Walgreens Adds Primary Care Services to Florida Stores

Customers in parts of Florida can receive pharmacy and primary care in one location, thanks to a new partnership between the pharmacy chain Walgreens Boots Alliance and value-based primary care provider VillageMD. Three new Village Medical at Walgreens locations are opening in the Orlando area, with seven more slated to offer services by the end of the year.

The integrated care model comes at a time when Florida is experiencing a peak in COVID-19 cases attributed to the highly contagious Delta variant. The medical clinics offer in-person, telehealth and at-home care and support, and will be staffed by VillageMD primary care physicians who will work alongside Walgreens pharmacy professionals to care for patients facing everyday illnesses and injuries and chronic conditions like diabetes, asthma and high blood pressure. The sites will accept a variety of health insurance plans.

“Together, Walgreens and VillageMD are committed to expanding access to health care in America through coordinated primary care and pharmacy services in our stores and virtually,” said Jamie Vortherms, VP of health care services at Walgreens. “These 10 new clinics in Orlando are the first of many we hope to bring to Florida to provide residents high-quality care in the communities where they live, shop and work.”

Added Brent Asplin, M.D., president of Village Medical: “We’re thrilled to launch Village Medical at Walgreens locations in Orlando and share VillageMD’s high-tech, high-touch health care model, which fosters regular communication and strong relationships between our patients and providers.”

Plans for the strategic partnership are ambitious. According to company information, Walgreens and VillageMD aim to open at least 600 primary care clinics at least 30 U.S. markets over the next four years.

The news comes days after CVS Health launched its Aetna Virtual Primary Care solution, providing nationwide health services remotely and in person.

Deerfield, Illinois-based Walgreens is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA division of Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. The drug store chain operates more than 9,000 retail locations across the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving about 8 million customers daily. Walgreens is No. 5 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2021 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.