Walgreens adds senior Rx services to its growing specialty operations
DEERFIELD, Ill. Extending its aggressive reach into the specialty pharmacy arena, Walgreen Co. has acquired two pharmacies that serve assisted-living senior centers from TabSafe Prescription Services, LLC, the pharmacy services division of TabSafe Medical Services, Inc.
The senior-living pharmacies are located in Largo, Fla. and Roswell, Ga. Both pharmacies will operate as part of Walgreens’ SeniorMed division. SeniorMed is a medication management company founded in 1996 that exclusively serves senior-living communities and was fully acquired by Walgreens in June 2007.
The acquisition expands Walgreens’ existing service capacity to senior-living communities in the Tampa, Fla., market, while opening the Atlanta senior-living market to the company for the first time, according to a Walgreens statement. “By operating the TabSafe pharmacies under SeniorMed, Walgreens can offer a number of additional benefits to those patients through Walgreens Home Care and Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy,” the company noted. Among those benefits: home infusion and respiratory services, durable medical equipment, access to self-injectable medications, and comprehensive patient education and support.
TabSafe Medical Services will retain its ownership and rights to manufacture and market the TabSafe medication management system for seniors.
“TabSafe’s devotion to helping those faced with the complexities of taking multiple medications is right in line with Walgreens’ commitment to healthy aging,” said John Heid, vice president of long-term care pharmacy for Walgreens Health Services, the managed care division of Walgreen Co. “This acquisition allows us to care for a larger segment of that population and offer them additional services.”
Jim Chiavetta, chief executive officer of TabSafe Medical, said, “Walgreens will partner with us to continue offering our TabSafe medication management device in the Atlanta and Tampa areas. In addition, we hope to work with Walgreens on offering the TabSafe device in all cities where it serves senior-living communities.”
Terms of the deal were not disclosed.