Walgreens collaborates with Baptist Health on pharmacy and clinic operations

DEERFIELD, Ill. - Beginning in early January 2017, Baptist Health's retail pharmacy operations will open under Walgreens ownership at Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville as part of a collaboration focused on improving and coordinating healthcare for residents of northeast Florida. And in May 2017, Baptist Health will assume the operations of three Walgreens Healthcare Clinics.

 

“Collaboration is key in today’s healthcare environment, to help meet the changing needs of consumers, providers and the communities we serve,” said Amy Bixler, Walgreens regional healthcare director. “We’re pleased to work with Baptist Health to enhance care coordination across both pharmacy and retail clinic services, and look forward to bringing Walgreens pharmacists even closer to Baptist patients to further improve care delivery and outcomes.”



“This is a strategic relationship between the most comprehensive health care system in the region and a long-standing, trusted provider of pharmacy services throughout the community,” stated Hugh Greene, Baptist Health president and CEO. “Together with Walgreens, we are eager to provide value while improving the overall health of the communities of northeast Florida.”



In addition, Baptist Health will own the clinical practice and operations management of retail health clinics within three Walgreens stores in Jacksonville and northeast Florida.  These existing Walgreens Healthcare Clinics are expected to transition to Baptist in May 2017, at which time the clinics will become an extension of Baptist Health.



Once opened under Baptist operation, the clinics will operate under the name of Baptist Health Clinic at Walgreens.  Walgreens will continue to manage the existing Healthcare Clinics at these locations until that time.  The retail clinics will complement Baptist’s extensive primary care network and urgent care partnership with CareSpot.

 

Baptist Health and Walgreens also plan to use digital tools and incentives to help people manage their health. The Walgreens mobile app, for example, offers a variety of tools and programs including Balance Rewards, a customer loyalty program that allows customers to earn points for health-related activities such as walking or running, logging weight, checking blood pressure and receiving vaccinations.

 

In addition, as the two organizations share a commitment to the greater Jacksonville community, Walgreens and Baptist will be planning several community initiatives in the near future.



The Baptist Health pharmacies at the health system’s six other locations are planned to close, with continuity provided through access to any of the approximately 50 Walgreens pharmacies across the Jacksonville area.



Baptist Health’s inpatient pharmacies and infusion therapy pharmacy will remain owned and operated by Baptist.



Baptist Health is a faith-based, mission-driven system in Northeast Florida comprised of Baptist Medical Center Jacksonville; Baptist Medical Center Beaches; Baptist Medical Center Nassau; Baptist Medical Center South; Baptist Clay Medical Campus and Wolfson Children’s Hospital – the region’s only children’s hospital.