OAKLAND, Calif., Sept. 10, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Shield
of California and Walgreens today
announced a new collaboration to expand access to health care,
lower costs, and bring innovative services to enhance the consumer
experience for individuals, families, and communities throughout
California.
The initial phase of the collaboration will center on Walgreens
Health Corner™ services – a personalized experience for Blue
Shield commercial members to improve their health outcomes. The
Health Corner locations will include health advisors – pharmacists,
dieticians, or nurses – to inform and assist with health,
nutrition, fitness, and disease management care coordination for
either real-time or future care.
The healthcare services will focus on condition management and
whole-person care. At launch, Blue Shield members in eligible plans
will have access to blood pressure screenings, administration of
A1C blood tests, and mammography care coordination. They will also
be able to pick up take-home health screening tests with in-person
assistance from health advisors for instruction on how to use and
complete the kits, as well as support to locate new health and
wellness products. Health advisors will also be present to help
members set up their digital health applications on their mobile
devices.
The program's first phase will begin in late 2021 with the goal
to expand Blue Shield's service offerings to help close care gaps
for members in Walgreens stores, virtually, and at home, in early
2022.
"We are thrilled to announce this collaboration with Walgreens
because of our shared goal to reimagine health care," said
Peter Long, executive vice president
of Strategy and Health Solutions at Blue Shield of California. "Together, we are transforming
health care by launching innovative, high-touch, personalized, and
holistic solutions for members and Californians with the ultimate
goal of providing enhanced access to care that is worthy of our
family and friends and sustainably affordable."
"Walgreens is excited to join forces with Blue
Shield of California for this
community health effort," said Vish
Sankaran, Walgreens Boots Alliance chief innovation officer.
"Blue Shield has a long-standing history of transforming health
care for their members and beyond. By leveraging our trusted
retail pharmacy locations, deep healthcare experience, and
community relationships, together we are uniquely positioned to
bridge gaps in care for many Californians to create a more seamless
and convenient consumer experience."
At Blue Shield, this is the latest example of the nonprofit
health plan's Health Reimagined strategy, the company's ambitious
effort to transform health care for individuals, families, and
communities. Health Reimagined tests, pilots, and scales
innovations to improve equitable access to high-quality,
whole-person care through diverse collaborations with other leaders
in health care, technology, and community-based
organizations.
About Blue Shield of California
Blue Shield of California strives to create a healthcare
system worthy of its family and friends that is sustainably
affordable. Blue Shield of California is a tax paying, nonprofit,
independent member of the Blue Shield Association with over 4.5
million members, over 7,500 employees and more than $21 billion in annual revenue. Founded in 1939 in
San Francisco and now
headquartered in Oakland, Blue
Shield of California and its
affiliates provide health, dental, vision, Medicaid, and Medicare
healthcare service plans in California. The company has contributed more
than $150 million to Blue Shield of
California Foundation in the last four years to have an impact on
California communities.
For more news about Blue Shield of California, please
visit news.blueshieldca.com.
Or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter,
or Facebook.
About Walgreens
Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is included in the United States segment of Walgreens Boots
Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), a global leader in retail pharmacy.
As America's most loved pharmacy, health and beauty company,
Walgreens' purpose is to champion the health and wellbeing of every
community in America. Operating more than 9,000 retail locations
across America, Puerto Rico and
the U.S. Virgin Islands, Walgreens
is proud to be a neighborhood health destination serving
approximately 8 million customers each day. Walgreens pharmacists
play a critical role in the U.S. healthcare system by providing a
wide range of pharmacy and healthcare services. To best meet the
needs of customers and patients, Walgreens offers a true
omnichannel experience, with platforms bringing together physical
and digital, supported by the latest technology to deliver
high-quality products and services in local communities
nationwide.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements. All
statements in this release that are not historical are
forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor
provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
These forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future
performance and involve risks, assumptions and uncertainties,
including, but not limited to, those related to the timing and
effectiveness of collaboration plans and implementation, the
ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the strategic
partnership, competitive actions in the marketplace, and the
ability to achieve anticipated financial and operating results in
the amounts and at the times anticipated, as well as those
described in Item 1A (Risk Factors) of Walgreens Boots Alliance,
Inc.'s Form 10-K for its fiscal year ending August 31, 2020 and in other documents that
Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. files or furnishes with the
Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these
risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying
assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially.
These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are
made. Each of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. and Walgreens do not
undertake, and expressly disclaim, any duty or obligation to update
publicly any forward-looking statement after the date of this
release, whether as a result of new information, future events,
changes in assumptions or otherwise.
CONTACT:
|
Jonna
Constantine
|
Molly
Sheehan
|
Blue Shield of
California
|
Walgreens
|
510-607-2359
|
media@walgreens.com
|
media@blueshieldca.com
|
|
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SOURCE Blue Shield of California