WALGREENS

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Higher front-end sales for the month of February helped counter-balance lost revenue from Express Scripts prescriptions, Walgreeens reported Monday. Overall, the drug store chain reported a 1.5% sales increase to $5.9 billion.

Shares of Walgreens were up slightly by 8 cents to $32.77 in early morning trading.

SUN PRAIRIE, Wis. — An organization representing independent pharmacies has joined a recently announced nationwide pharmacy network that aims to get patients to receive personalized care from their pharmacists.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — There is one key takeaway from Fast Company's naming of Walgreens as one of the industry's most innovative companies — Walgreens wasn't classified under the industry banner of "retailer," but under the industry banner of "health care." And if that isn't proof enough that Walgreens' latest retooling of its pharmacy is making patients rethink what health care is all about, then consider this: Walgreens is the only company in Fast Company's Healthcare Top 10 that physically interacts with patients — in Americ

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens and AARP are expanding their relationship with a new retail drug store program that will provide AARP members with exclusive offers and rewards, and includes member and community outreach to promote health and wellness.

The program will run for three years and builds on an already-established relationship between the two, which have collaborated on several initiatives since 2006.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Fast Company has called out Walgreens as one of the world's most innovative companies in the magazine's "Fast 50" issue.

The publication named Walgreens one of the healthcare industry's most innovative companies for the second time in three years, due to its leadership and healthcare services, including the chain's Well Experience format, addressing the need for greater access to healthy foods in underserved communities, as well as plans to become the nation's leading retail host of electric vehicle charging stations.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — One year after launching a national awareness campaign focused on the benefits of 90-day prescription refills at retail pharmacies, Walgreens on Friday released new data supporting the success of the 90-day refill program and its overarching benefits to patients and payers. Walgreens also released a white paper outlining in greater detail the ways in which 90-day retail refills can help improve adherence and reduce costs.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — "I appreciate the fact that [Walgreens is] trying to do some very good things with respect to clinical offerings and other avenues to try to impact the overall healthcare spectrum. But quite frankly, that hasn't been proven to reduce cost." That was what George Paz, Express Scripts chairman, president and CEO, said Thursday morning about the go-to-market strategy currently being employed by Walgreens. Later that day, Walgreens released these data — contrary to Paz's take on the value of Walgreens.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy on Thursday released data showing that both patients and their health plans can realize savings of up to 60% on the cost of infused specialty medications by choosing alternate treatment sites. The cost savings was the key finding from new data being presented at the 2012 Pharmacy Benefit Management Institute Annual Drug Benefit Conference in Scottsdale, Ariz.