What You Should Know:
– Walgreens, a leading pharmacy chain, is making a significant push into the specialty pharmacy market with the launch of “Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy.”
– The new $25B initiative expands access to care for patients with complex, chronic conditions while driving profitability for the company.
Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy: A Holistic Approach
Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy aims to break down barriers within the healthcare system. By leveraging Walgreens’ existing network of trusted pharmacists and strong community presence, the program offers convenient access to hard-to-find medications while providing critical adherence support. This comprehensive care model empowers payers to better manage specialty drug costs.
Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy goes beyond medication dispensing; it offers a comprehensive suite of services designed to improve patient outcomes. This includes:
- Gene and Cell Therapy Services and Innovation Center: A dedicated center in Pittsburgh, PA, equipped to handle the complexities of gene and cell therapies, including supply chain management, logistics, and financial assistance.
- Central Specialty Pharmacies: Four central pharmacies with nationally recognized accreditations house expert pharmacists and care teams focused on dispensing complex medications and managing chronic or rare conditions.
- Extensive Network of Community Pharmacies: Walgreens boasts the most extensive network of community-based specialty pharmacies in the nation, conveniently located near medical centers to provide faster access to medications. These pharmacies also offer services like injection training, medication side effect management, and financial assistance coordination.
- Specialty-Trained Staff: Over 1,500 specialty-trained pharmacists, 5,000 patient advocacy team members, and dedicated Specialty360 teams create a comprehensive support system for patients across all specialty conditions and therapies.
- Wide Range of Medications: Access to a growing list of 240 limited distribution drugs, including exclusive options and medications in narrow networks.
Integrated Care for Patients Who Need It Most
Effective August 1st, 2024, AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy will transition to Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy. Existing patients will gain access to a wider range of resources, including disease-state experts, nutritionists, and care nurses. Additionally, patients can now view their entire prescription profile, including both specialty and retail medications, at Walgreens. Walgreens’ subsidiary, Shields Health Solutions, a leader in specialty pharmacy acceleration for health systems, will continue to support health system specialty pharmacies, complementing the expanded offerings of Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy.
“With approximately $24 billion in annual enterprise specialty revenue, Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy is the largest independent provider that offers the industry’s most robust specialty capabilities not vertically aligned with a pharmacy benefit manager,” said Rick Gates, chief pharmacy officer, Walgreens. “We have the flexibility to contract dynamically with any payer. We can partner directly with pharmaceutical manufacturers to facilitate products to market, including limited distribution drugs, and coordinate closely with providers to ensure patients experience a smooth start to treatment.”