Walgreens ad focuses on pharmacy's and clinic's roll in healthcare reform

This full-page ad taken out by Walgreens is important as it comes at a time when healthcare reform is top of mind.

The ad serves as a call to action for healthcare providers, along with state and federal government, to work together to develop a high quality and affordable healthcare system. It also calls for payers, politicians and policy makers to recognize the value of an expanded role for retail-based clinics beyond simply acute care.

Many industry members have long called the U.S. healthcare system “broken” and have stressed the important role that retail-based clinics can play in providing patients with quality, affordable and convenient health care. With a new administration at the helm, industry members are shouting that message louder than ever.

As the ad points out, retail-based clinics are only part of the equation. Worksite clinics are also proving to be an invaluable lever against rising healthcare costs for big employers. But aside from curbing costs, worksite clinics have been shown to reduce absenteeism, improve productivity, promote preventative health and wellness, and can be used by employers as an attractive recruitment and retention tool.

And, as the largest operator of worksite clinics, perhaps no one understands the importance better than Walgreens’ Take Care Health Systems. Take Care Employer Solutions is the division of Walgreens’ Take Care Health Systems that operates well over 300 worksite clinics.

But the bottom line is that the ad urges cooperation. Since retail-based clinics first hit the radar screen, clinic operators have stressed the importance of working together with local healthcare providers to ensure continuity of care. From day one, clinic operators have made it very clear that they are not striving to become a patient’s medical home but are looking to augment those services provided by one’s primary care physician.

Knowing this, it comes as no surprise that Walgreens, through its Health and Wellness division, is calling on everyone in the healthcare industry, in the public sector and in corporate America to unite and work aggressively toward healthcare reform.