WALGREENS

ROCKVILLE, Md. — Catalyst Health Solutions on Monday announced it has completed its acquisition of Walgreens’ pharmacy benefit management subsidiary, Walgreens Health Initiatives.

“We have been pleased with the integration planning and are highly confident that the company will rapidly realize the many strategic and financial benefits of this transaction,” stated David Blair, Catalyst CEO.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — Diversity in the corporate sense used to be about hiring. Now for such companies as Walgreens, it means ensuring that the banner resonates among the diverse cultures the retailer serves. It’s more than neighborhood marketing; it’s what Walgreens might refer to as Customer Centric Retailing on a much deeper level.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — The news that MinuteClinic has formed clinical affiliations with OhioHealth and Cleveland Clinic Florida is important because it further signifies that retail-based clinics are more than just clinics.

(THE NEWS: MinuteClinic, OhioHealth enter strategic clinical affiliation. For the full story, click here.)

SAN FRANCISCO — Health 2.0 and Walgreens on Thursday announced the launch of the Walgreens 2011 Challenge: A New Approach to Patient Information Navigation, which invites teams of developers to create an application that presents aggregated U.S. Department of Health and Human Services data on specific health topics.

The challenge is being sponsored by Walgreens, as part of the Health 2.0 Developer Challenge, as a way to supply both Walgreens healthcare staff and patients with a tool for searching and learning about health-related topics, the companies stated.

LOS ANGELES — Skin by Monica, an all-natural line of skin and hair care products for women, men and babies, is expanding its distribution and will be available in select Walgreens locations in August.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens and Northwestern Memorial Physicians Group of Chicago on Wednesday announced a new coordinated healthcare program in which Walgreens will share the results of appropriately timed pharmacist clinical interventions with primary care physicians of selected patients.

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Take Care Health Systems and Memorial Health on Tuesday announced a new relationship that will increase opportunities for clinical collaboration and improve patient access to high-quality, convenient and affordable healthcare options in the greater Jacksonville region.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Monday named Steve Pemberton the company’s divisional VP diversity and inclusion, making him the company’s first chief diversity officer.