Walgreens' Healthcare Clinics receive accreditation

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens’ Health Clinics have received accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care, the company has announced.



The accreditation is a symbol of quality recognizing that each Healthcare Clinic meets AAAHC requirements, embodying best practices and operating in compliance with nationally recognized standards of care. Specifically, the accreditation distinguishes Healthcare Clinics at select Walgreens as delivering high-quality care in an environment that promotes patient safety.



“AAAHC shares our focus on high-quality, affordable and coordinated patient care, and the accreditation is another important step in Walgreens evolution from traditional retail drugstore to a community health care destination,” stated Heather Helle, divisional VP at the Walgreens consumer solutions group. "The AAAHC accreditation process requires a rigorous and complex series of evaluations, and we’re proud to be recognized for delivering the highest levels of comprehensive, quality care to our patients in order to help them get, stay and live well.”



As part of the accreditation process, AAAHC representatives evaluated Healthcare Clinic professionals in the clinic setting, interviewed executive leadership and conducted patient surveys. AAAHC has established specific standards that require clinics to be patient-centered, comprehensive, accessible, and to coordinate care with all of the patients’ primary care and specialty care provider teams.



“The role of retail clinics continues to grow and gain momentum as a valuable access point for care, and this setting is poised to grow in importance and value as millions of Americans enter the system under health care reform,” added John Burke, president and CEO of AAAHC. “We are pleased to add Healthcare Clinics at select Walgreens to our accredited members and congratulate them on their successful completion of the process.”



There are more than 400 Healthcare Clinics at select Walgreens stores across the United States.



The accreditation of the retail clinics follows the company’s worksite health center accreditation through AAAHC, announced last December. Walgreens Employer Solutions Group, which manages more than 370 worksite health centers nationwide, received AAAHC Medical Home accreditation, recognizing that each location meets AAAHC requirements to be considered a patient-centered medical home, embodying best practices and operating in compliance with nationally recognized standards of care.