Walgreens to open at least 500 doctor offices in its stores across US, company says

Dawson White
·2 min read

Walgreens announced Wednesday that it is partnering with VillageMD to open between 500 and 700 full-service doctor offices in stores across the country, the company said.

The physician-led primary care clinics will land in 30 U.S. markets in the next 5 years, with hundreds more planned to follow, Walgreens said in a news release.

“These clinics at our conveniently located stores are a significant step forward in creating the pharmacy of the future, meeting many essential health needs all under one roof as well as through other channels,” executive vice chairman and CEO Stefano Pessina said.

The clinics will accept an array of insurance options and offer comprehensive primary care services along with 24/7 telehealth care and in-home visits, Walgreens said.

Walgreens has partnered with VillageMD to open at least 500 full-service doctor offices in its stores, the company said.
Walgreens has partnered with VillageMD to open at least 500 full-service doctor offices in its stores, the company said.

More than half the new clinics will be located in areas that are medically underserved and have shortages of health professionals.

VillageMD will recruit more than 3,600 primary care providers to staff the clinics, Walgreens said.

Health care providers will work closely with pharmacists “to deliver the very best healthcare to patients,” according to the company.

The move comes after the company tested the model at five stores in Houston which opened in November, Walgreens said.

“To improve our healthcare system and reverse the trajectory of health spending, we must meet the needs of all patients,” Pessina said. “This partnership allows us to unleash the power of primary care doctors and pharmacists, enabling them to work in a coordinated way to enhance the patient experience.

“The results of our initial pilot clinics highlight that these outcomes are infinitely achievable.”

The majority of clinics will be 3,300 square feet, with some as large as 9,000 square feet, using existing space in Walgreens stores, according to the company.

CVS Health announced last year that it plans to open 1,500 HealthHUBs at its stores by the end of 2021. The stores expand CVS’ Minute Clinic services, offering wellness rooms for community events as well as nutrition-based services, such as weight loss programs. CVS already has 1,100 Minute Clinics in drugstores and Targets as of 2017, staffed by nurse practitioners and physician assistants.

For CVS stores with HealthHUBs, 20% of store space is dedicated to health health services and products, the company said.

Walmart has also opened four in-store clinics for primary care with more on the horizon, CNBC reported. The clinics offer dental, hearing, x-ray and lab services among others, the company said.