South Florida's University of Miami Health System signs Walgreens collaboration agreement

DEERFIELD, Ill. – Walgreens and the University of Miami Health System on Wednesday announced a collaboration focused on delivering coordinated clinical care and pharmacy excellence to patients across South Florida.



“Walgreens has been a trusted provider of pharmacy and other health care services to South Florida residents and those within the UM community for decades,” said Brad Fluegel, SVP and chief healthcare commercial market development officer at Walgreens. “This is a tremendous opportunity to work closely with the UM Health System to help ensure a true continuum of care, with our pharmacists playing an integral role as part of patients’ care teams. Forming deeper and more collaborative relationships with health systems is one of the ways in which we’re responding to the changing needs of both patients and our health care system.”



“This collaboration is an important step in UHealth’s commitment to improving the health of our community and access to our high quality clinicians,” stated Steven Altschuler, CEO of the University of Miami Health System. “We will provide a seamless and integrated health care experience for our patients regardless of where they receive their care across our University of Miami Health System.”



As part of the agreement, UHealth – the University of Miami Health System, will manage and provide all clinical services at 17 retail clinics within Walgreens stores in South Florida, including Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.

 

In addition, Walgreens will soon open pharmacies at three University of Miami Health System facilities, as its exclusive retail pharmacy provider. The new pharmacy at The Lennar Foundation Medical Center, UHealth’s state-of-the-art facility in Coral Gables, is planned to open Dec. 19. Walgreens retail pharmacies at Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and University of Miami Hospital are expected to open in January.



Walgreens will also provide 90-day retail prescription benefits and specialty pharmacy services for the University’s employees and their families.



The 17 existing Walgreens Healthcare Clinics are planned to transition to the University of Miami Health System in the spring of 2017, at which time the clinics will become an extension of the UM Health System and be named UHealth Clinic - University of Miami Health System at Walgreens. Walgreens will continue to manage the retail clinics until that time.

 

UHealth Clinic at Walgreens will give consumers improved access to the transformative, research-based, personalized care provided by the University of Miami Health System. Staffed by UHealth’s expertly-trained nurse practitioners, the UHealth Clinic at Walgreens locations will operate seven days a week, including evenings, giving patients the option to receive a variety of health care services with or without an appointment.

 

Patients across South Florida will have access to affordable and conveniently located clinics for treating common illnesses and injuries as well as for follow up care for chronic diseases when appropriate.



Walgreens and the University of Miami Health System will also form a joint council to share best practices and experiences that aim to improve patient care, quality and satisfaction while reducing health care costs.

 

“Building from this start, the University and Walgreens intend to explore new approaches to further extend access to routine and specialty care, to improve patient health through enhanced pharmacy services, and to utilize innovative ways to reach patients when and where they would benefit,” added John Sory, UHealth’s chief executive of the UHealth Regional Alliance.