Walgreens to open 'Community' pharmacy in Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Walgreens is opening a new store in Grand Rapids, Mich., but it won't look like any other Walgreens.

The new store at 555 Michigan Street NE will be a smaller, speciality pharmacy that offers only specialty prescription drugs in a 2,000 square-foot space, according to mlive.com. The store is scheduled to open by the end of August.

Walgreens Community pharmacies are specialty pharmacies that provides patient care to help those managing complex conditions including cancer, cystic fibrosis, HIV, AIDS, hepatitis C and infertility, the company said.

Earlier this year Walgreens' Specialty Pharmacy unit received full specialty pharmacy accreditation from URAC, an independent health care accrediting organization that assesses quality standards for the health care industry.



“At Walgreens, everything begins with quality of care and having the external validation through URAC is an extraordinary achievement that underscores our commitment to helping patients lead healthier lives,” stated Mike Ellis, Walgreens corporate VP, specialty pharmacy.



Based on industry quality benchmarks, URAC reviewed and certified Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy centralized services based on clinical credentials, operating processes and patient management results, among other core standards.

Walgreens has been expanding its footprint of more than 230 specialty pharmacy locations.