Walgreens launches digital marketplace to connect customers, providers
Walgreens Boots Alliance announced the launch of Find Care Now, a digital platform and marketplace that will help connect its mobile and web visitors to healthcare services provided at Walgreens stores and other community-based providers.
This move to broaden offerings to consumers comes after Amazon ventured into the pharmaceutical industry just last month with the acquisition of PillPack. Walgreens' estimated five million app users will have access to online mHealth and telehealth services.
At present, Walgreens is working with 17 participating providers across the nation, including physicians and nurse practitioners stationed at Walgreens locations. Other specialists offered within the platform include behavioral health therapists, optometrists, dermatologists, hearing specialists and diagnostic lab services.
“People expect accessible quality care that fits their busy lives, and this is another way in which we’re continually evolving our business to bring health care services closer to our patients,” said Richard Ashworth, president of operations at Walgreens, in a prepared statement. “Find Care Now is part of a series of innovations to offer a true omnichannel experience for Walgreens customers, as we work with others in the health care community to improve access to affordable health care services in the communities we serve.”
Find Care Now allows customers to modify care service results by location and health condition and also lists cash prices for services. Users can also schedule appointments with their providers.
The Walgreens Find Care Now marketplace comprises providers across the U.S., including:
- Advocate Health Care, Chicago
- Baptist Health, Jacksonville, Florida
- Community Health Network, Indianapolis
- DermatologistOnCall, national online dermatology service
- Florida Hospital, Tampa
- Heal, on-demand doctor house calls in California, Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia
- LabCorp, lab testing and diagnostics
- MDLIVE, national telehealth service
- MedExpress Urgent Care, an Optum company and provider of neighborhood medical care
- NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital in collaboration with Weill Cornell Medicine and Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York
- Piedmont Healthcare, Atlanta
- Providence St. Joseph Health, including Providence Express Care in Portland, Oregon, and Swedish Express Care in Seattle
- SSM Health, St. Louis
- UHealth – The University of Miami Health System, Miami
- Walgreens Healthcare Clinics
- Walgreens Hearing
- Walgreens Optical
As a senior news writer for TriMed, Subrata covers cardiology, clinical innovation and healthcare business. She has a master’s degree in communication management and 12 years of experience in journalism and public relations.