Walgreens Expands Reach into Primary Care Through Partnership with Pearl Health

Takeaways

Walgreens partners with Pearl Health to expand its reach in providing primary care services.
America's largest pharmacy chain will support Pearl Health with complementary services, such as fulfillment prescriptions and vaccine administration.
The move follows Walgreen's $5.2 billion investment in VillageMD and the purchase of Summit Health by VillageMD for nearly $9 billion.

Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) is partnering with health technology company Pearl Health to expand its reach into primary care services.

The company said Pearl Health enables clinical teams “to provide holistic and personalized treatment.” As part of the agreement, Walgreens will offer complementary services, such as prescription filling, medication adherence, vaccinations, closing gaps in care and diagnostic testing. In addition, he will work with doctors to help patients discharged from the hospital transition home.

John Driscoll, Vice President executive and president of U.S. healthcare at Walgreens, said this combination will help it reach more communities faster, “and enable comprehensive, affordable care that improves long-term health outcomes and promote healthier communities.”

Pearl Health CEO Michael Kopko added that Pearl Health's technology-enabled, value-based care model “aligns perfectly with the healthcare services offered by Walgreens, particularly in the most vulnerable communities.”

Walgreens has been transitioning its model business to provide medical services, including investing $5.2 billion in 2021 to take a majority stake in VillageMD, which partners with physicians to provide healthcare services to patients. primary care. In November, VillageMD spent $8.9 billion to acquire Summit Health, the parent company of the CityMD urgent care clinic chain.

Walgreens Boots Alliance shares rose 1.4% on Tuesday following the news, after reaching its lowest level since 2008 on Monday.