Walgreens execs: Humana JV could be primary care template for stores

Walgreens executives said the early results of a primary care joint venture with Humana are promising after six months of operation, according to Forbes contributor Bruce Japsen.

In June, Walgreens teamed up with Humana to open primary care clinics for Medicare beneficiaries in two Walgreens stores in Kansas City, Mo. The clinics provide primary care and pharmacy services. In select stores in the Kansas City metro area, Humana representatives also offer free health service assistance to Medicare beneficiaries, such as diabetes education.

"We still need to validate the business model and the economics of the clinics, but patient response has been very promising, and I believe it has a good chance that this may provide a template for primary care in many of our stores," Alex Gourlay, Walgreens' co-COO, said during a call with analysts to discuss the company's first quarter 2019 earnings release, according to Forbes.

The senior clinics aim to keep Medicare patients out of costly hospital settings by having Walgreens pharmacists and Humana network physicians consistently monitor beneficiaries' health.

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