Aurora Opening Retail Clinics at Wisconsin Walgreens

PR Newswire

DEERFIELD, Ill. and MILWAUKEE, Dec. 6, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Walgreens and Aurora Health Care today announced that Aurora Health Care will own and operate, and provide all clinical services at, eight retail health clinics to be located within Walgreens stores across eastern Wisconsin.

Five existing Walgreens Healthcare Clinics are planned to transition to Aurora next spring, at which time the clinics will become an extension of Aurora Health Care. Walgreens will continue to manage these Healthcare Clinic locations until that time. In addition, Aurora plans to open three new retail clinics in other area Walgreens stores in the spring. All of the sites will be named Aurora QuickCare Clinic at Walgreens.

Aurora QuickCare Clinic at Walgreens locations will give consumers improved access to the compassionate, affordable, high-quality care provided by Aurora Health Care. Aurora will also provide a seamless care experience for patients, as care will be truly integrated, whether patients visit an Aurora Health Care physician, an Aurora Health Care medical center or an Aurora QuickCare Clinic at Walgreens.

"At Aurora Health Care, we are constantly looking for ways to enhance access to care and make care more convenient, which is exactly what this new collaboration with Walgreens does," said Jeffrey Bahr, MD, president-elect of Aurora Health Care Medical Group. "For those times when patients need quick, on-the-go care, we're pleased to offer them access to Aurora's high-quality, cost-efficient care with no appointment necessary, all inside a convenient neighborhood Walgreens."

As part of the agreement, Walgreens and Aurora Health Care will form a collaborative council to share best practices and experiences that aim to improve patient care, quality and satisfaction while reducing health care costs. With a joint focus on how to better serve the population of eastern Wisconsin, the two organizations will also continue to explore ways to provide new community access points.

"There is a growing need for convenient access to high quality and affordable healthcare services," said Pat Carroll, MD, chief medical officer for Walgreens Healthcare Clinics. "By entering into new, innovative retail clinic collaborations with established community health systems like Aurora Health Care, we continue to help serve that need. Today, we welcome Aurora and its shared commitment to delivering to patients an exceptional and personalized continuum of care."

Aurora QuickCare Clinic at Walgreens locations will offer a variety of services, including quick, affordable diagnosis for common health concerns, such as bronchitis, influenza, and minor rashes, as well as vaccines for flu, pneumonia and meningitis. The locations will also be able to do pregnancy tests, TB tests and sports physicals.

The sites will operate seven days a week, including evenings, which gives patients the option to access a variety of health care services without an appointment.

Aurora Health Care is a not-for-profit Wisconsin-area health care provider and a national leader in efforts to improve health care quality. Aurora offers services at sites in more than 90 communities throughout eastern Wisconsin and northern Illinois. Aurora is Wisconsin's most comprehensive health care provider and the state's largest private employer. 

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com), one of the nation's largest drugstore chains, is included in the Retail Pharmacy USA Division of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (NASDAQ: WBA), the first global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise. More than 10 million customers interact with Walgreens each day. Approximately 400 Walgreens stores offer Healthcare Clinic or other provider retail clinic services.