Walgreens, Qualcomm partner for connected health

Qualcomm Life is collaborating with Walgreens to power device connectivity with Walgreens mobile and web applications and its rewards program with robust medical device connectivity and care coordination capabilities.

Walgreens has more than 8,200 stores nationwide and 82 million Balance Rewards members, according to a release. The Walgreens applications and Qualcomm-enabled branded devices will be available to consumers in the first half of 2015. Compatible Walgreens devices include a wrist-worn blood pressure cuff, a traditional blood pressure cuff and a blood glucose meter.

Within the apps, Qualcomm Life’s 2net Platform also will enable remote patient monitoring, transitional care support and chronic care management through a secure and seamless transmission of biometric data from patients’ connected medical devices.

Walgreens' reward members earn points for participating in various health-related programs and tracking progress toward a goal. With medical device connectivity powered by Qualcomm Life, Balance Rewards for healthy choices members can sync select mHealth devices directly to their Balance Rewards account, earning points and enabling pharmacists to electronically access biometrics and health status information.

“Whether transitioning from a hospital to the home or managing a chronic condition such as heart disease or diabetes, Walgreens connectivity solution powered by Qualcomm Life will allow us to help our customers achieve improved health through regular biometric communication with their providers,” said Adam Pellegrini, Walgreens divisional vice president of digital health, in the release.

“Additionally, Qualcomm Life’s platforms help us to reward participating customers for their choice to become more informed and engaged in their healthcare.”