TAKE CARE HEALTH SYSTEMS AND WALGREENS PLAN TO OPEN FIVE HEALTH CORNER CLINICS IN MILWAUKEE
02.22.07
"A Whole New Way to Get Health Care" Comes to Milwaukee This Spring
MILWAUKEE, WI (February 22, 2007) — Milwaukee residents will soon have easy access to a new, high-quality and affordable health care service, Take Care Health Systems and Walgreen Co. (NYSE, Nasdaq: WAG) announced today. The companies will open five Health Corner Clinics inside local Walgreens drugstores this spring.
The Milwaukee clinics, located next to the pharmacy and staffed by highly-qualified nurse practitioners, will be open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. No appointments are necessary.
Family nurse practitioners treat patients 18 months and older for common illnesses such as strep throat, ear, sinus and bladder infections, pink eye and poison ivy. Take Care Nurse Practitioners also provide diagnostic screenings, perform physicals, and administer certain vaccinations.
"Take Care Health's goal is to bring high-quality, affordable and convenient health care to patients on their terms," said Peter Miller, Take Care Health President and CEO. "By offering care from experienced and compassionate nurse practitioners, a convenient setting conducive to patients' busy schedules, and a collaborative approach with the local medical community, we believe we complement the health care system and provide the right care for patients in the right setting."
"Our 98 percent patient satisfaction rating underscores the success and value of our model of care," Miller added.
At the time of opening, Take Care Health will accept the majority of commercial insurance plans, including UnitedHealthcare, MultiPlan PPO and Humana PPO, as well as Medicare and Medicaid. Insured patients simply pay their standard co-payment. For the uninsured and cash payers, costs average $59 to $74.
Take Care Health is committed to working in cooperation with the greater health care community toward a shared goal of providing accessible, patient-focused, quality health care. Take Care Nurse Practitioners encourage all patients to have a medical home and a primary care provider, and refer patients back to their provider should they need follow-up care. If a patient doesn't have such a provider, nurse practitioners will furnish a list of providers in the area accepting new patients.
Take Care Health's Electronic Medical Record technology allows patients to easily take a record of their visit to their provider, ensuring continuity of care.
The Milwaukee Health Corner Clinic openings are part of Walgreens plan to operate 250 clinics around the country by the end of August, up from about 50 today in five markets. "We've served the Milwaukee market for more than 75 years, and this is another innovative way we can meet the area's health care needs," said Joe Calomo, Manager of Health Corner Clinics for Walgreens.
Take Care Health Systems, a privately-held company, operates 31 Health Corner Clinics inside Walgreens drugstores in Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City. Earlier this week the companies announced the second phase of a multi-phase expansion in Chicago. Additionally, Take Care Health operates nine health care clinics in Pittsburgh with Eckerd Pharmacy. Take Care Health plans to open more than 200 centers in 2007 and over 1,000 centers in U.S. cities by 2009.
About Take Care Health SystemsSM
Take Care Health Systems (www.takecarehealth.com)is a leading independent operator of convenient care clinics. Take Care Health's vision is to combine best practices in medicine and the expertise and personal care of Take Care Nurse Practitioners to provide high-quality, accessible and affordable health care to all Americans. Take Care Health has a 98 percent patient satisfaction rating at its 40 health care centers and has treated close to 60,000 patients since November, 2005. Take Care Health is a founding member of the Convenient Care Association (www.convenientcareassociation.org).
About Walgreens
Walgreen Co. is the nation's largest drug store chain with fiscal 2006 sales of $47.4 billion. The company operates 5,611 stores in 48 states and Puerto Rico, including 76 Happy Harry's stores in Delaware and surrounding states. Walgreens also provides additional services to pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Services, its managed care division, which includes Walgreens Health Initiatives, Inc. (a pharmacy benefits manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., and Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy.
Key Contacts:
Tracey Belko
for Take Care Health Systems
212-446-1899