Officials from Pensacola, Fla.-based Sacred Heart Health System and Walgreens unveiled a collaboration Jan. 11 in which Sacred Heart will operate and provide clinical services at four of Walgreens' retail health clinics, the Pensacola News Journal reports.
The four clinics are in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties. The health system expects to take over operations at the first clinic in March, and assume operations of the others by the end of May, according to the report.
Patrick Carroll, MD, CMO of Walgreens Healthcare Clinics, said the arrangement is designed to improve "access to care, seven days a week," according to the report. Dr. Carroll said that while many retail clinics close during evenings and weekends, Sacred Heart plans to operate the Walgreens clinics during those hours.
The clinics, which don't require appointments, can treat patients with acute conditions, including upper respiratory infections, earaches or rashes, according to the report.