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Chronic Disease Management is Now at Your Neighborhood Pharmacy

Key Points

  • Chronic diseases are a leading reason for the overcrowding of emergency departments in the United States, with heart disease alone accounting for about two million outpatient hospital visits per year.
  • Walgreens pharmacy, which already operates nearly 400 Healthcare Clinics across the country, has announced an initiative to help ease the burden on hospital staff by offering care advice to people suffering from chronic illnesses.
  • The new services offered by Walgreens are not meant to replace appointments with primary care providers, but rather to supplement them, especially for patients needing services outside of regular office hours.
  • The Healthcare Clinics can treat a range of chronic conditions including osteoporosis, minor depression, cardiovascular conditions, emphysema, diabetes, and thyroid disorders. They also offer medication refills and nebulizer-based breathing treatments.
  • A 2010 report found that visits to retail clinics like those operated by Walgreens are only one-fifth the cost of emergency room trips, suggesting that these services could not only save patients money but also help improve the quality of care in emergency rooms by freeing up resources.

Many people with chronic disease are forced to visit emergency departments, particularly if they experience symptoms after a primary care provider’s office is closed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has some eye-opening statistics that might point to the reasons why so many healthcare managers, caregivers and patients alike groan as emergency departments continually struggle with an overflow of people in need, and a shortage of people to answer the demand.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and it alone accounts for about two million outpatient hospital visits per year. Combine that with the numerous other persistent diseases emergency department healthcare providers treat regularly and it’s not hard to see why people with chronic diseases might be playing a direct role in furthering the problem of overcrowding. Recently, Walgreen’s pharmacy announced an initiative that could ease the burden on hospital staff members around the United States.

Chronic Disease Management is Now at Your Neighborhood Pharmacy

Key Points

  • Chronic diseases are a leading reason for the overcrowding of emergency departments in the United States, with heart disease alone accounting for about two million outpatient hospital visits per year.
  • Walgreens pharmacy, which already operates nearly 400 Healthcare Clinics across the country, has announced an initiative to help ease the burden on hospital staff by offering care advice to people suffering from chronic illnesses.
  • The new services offered by Walgreens are not meant to replace appointments with primary care providers, but rather to supplement them, especially for patients needing services outside of regular office hours.
  • The Healthcare Clinics can treat a range of chronic conditions including osteoporosis, minor depression, cardiovascular conditions, emphysema, diabetes, and thyroid disorders. They also offer medication refills and nebulizer-based breathing treatments.
  • A 2010 report found that visits to retail clinics like those operated by Walgreens are only one-fifth the cost of emergency room trips, suggesting that these services could not only save patients money but also help improve the quality of care in emergency rooms by freeing up resources.

Many people with chronic disease are forced to visit emergency departments, particularly if they experience symptoms after a primary care provider’s office is closed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has some eye-opening statistics that might point to the reasons why so many healthcare managers, caregivers and patients alike groan as emergency departments continually struggle with an overflow of people in need, and a shortage of people to answer the demand.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, and it alone accounts for about two million outpatient hospital visits per year. Combine that with the numerous other persistent diseases emergency department healthcare providers treat regularly and it’s not hard to see why people with chronic diseases might be playing a direct role in furthering the problem of overcrowding. Recently, Walgreen’s pharmacy announced an initiative that could ease the burden on hospital staff members around the United States.

Pharmacy Set to Offer Chronic Care Advice

Walgreens is a prominent pharmacy in the United States, and already the company has nearly 400 Healthcare Clinics (previously branded with the name Take Care Clinics) across the country. Staffed by nurse practitioners and pharmacy technicians, these retail clinics attempt to offer things like flu shots and treatment for minor injuries, especially for people who need those services outside of physician’s office hours. Now, the company has announced it will branch out to help people suffering with chronic illness.

A Supplement to Primary Care

According to Heather Helle, Walgreens’ divisional vice president of the chain’s consumer solutions group, the demand for healthcare and the number of new patients is poised to increase due to reform progress, and she’d like for Walgreens to be a part of the solution by meeting the needs of patients and providers moving forward. The pharmacy has always strived to complement the role of physicians in the care of their patients, and even though it will now offer expanded services, they aren’t meant to replace appointments with primary care providers.

A Range of Services Offered

According to the Walgreens website, some of the chronic conditions the Healthcare Clinics can treat are Osteoporosis, minor depression, cardiovascular conditions, Emphysema, Diabetes and thyroid disorders. Additionally, patients can avail of the facilities to receive medications prior to traveling, EpiPen refills, and nebulizer-based breathing treatments.

Designed for convenience, the Healthcare Clinics are open seven days a week and have weeknight availability too. Staff members offer help on a walk-in basis, but patients can also book appointments online. On-site pharmacies make it easy to get refills on prescribed drugs, and the Clinics also accept most insurance plans. Since Walgreens has already established itself as a reputable provider of urgent care services, this transition to care management seems appropriate.

A Move in the Right Direction

A 2010 report from the RAND Corporation found that visits to places like Healthcare Clinic at Walgreens are only one-fifth the cost of emergency room trips, and as many as ten percent of trips to emergency rooms might have been appropriate handled by staff members at at retail clinics such as these. Besides being kinder to patients’ pocketbooks, hopefully services like those now offered by Walgreens will make it easier for emergency room staff members to improve quality of care for patients because resources aren’t as taxed by issues that could have been treated elsewhere. In turn, hospital managers might breathe easier too, thanks to the opportunity for greater levels of efficiency.

Frequently asked questions

  • Why do many people with chronic diseases visit emergency departments?

    Many people with chronic diseases visit emergency departments when they experience symptoms outside of their primary care provider's office hours.
  • What is the leading cause of death in the United States and how does it impact hospital visits?

    Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, accounting for about two million outpatient hospital visits per year. This contributes to the overcrowding problem in emergency departments.
  • What initiative has Walgreens pharmacy announced to help ease the burden on hospital staff?

    Walgreens pharmacy has announced that it will offer chronic care advice at its nearly 400 Healthcare Clinics across the United States. This initiative aims to help people suffering from chronic illnesses.
  • What are some of the services that Walgreens' Healthcare Clinics offer?

    Walgreens' Healthcare Clinics offer treatment for a range of chronic conditions including Osteoporosis, minor depression, cardiovascular conditions, Emphysema, Diabetes, and thyroid disorders. They also provide medications for travel, EpiPen refills, and nebulizer-based breathing treatments.
  • How does Walgreens aim to supplement primary care?

    Walgreens aims to supplement primary care by meeting the increasing demand for healthcare and the needs of new patients. While they offer expanded services, these are not meant to replace appointments with primary care providers.
  • What are the benefits of visiting places like the Healthcare Clinic at Walgreens instead of emergency rooms?

    Visits to places like the Healthcare Clinic at Walgreens are only one-fifth the cost of emergency room trips. Also, up to ten percent of emergency room visits could have been appropriately handled by staff at retail clinics, potentially easing the burden on emergency room resources.
  • What are the operating hours of Walgreens' Healthcare Clinics?

    Walgreens' Healthcare Clinics are open seven days a week and have weeknight availability. They offer help on a walk-in basis, but patients can also book appointments online.
  • Do Walgreens' Healthcare Clinics accept insurance?

    Yes, Walgreens' Healthcare Clinics accept most insurance plans, making it easier for patients to access the care they need.

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