Walgreens, AARP join forces to provide free health screenings in nationwide tour
NEW YORK Walgreens and AARP are embarking on a two-year, national mobile health screening tour in an effort to provide more than $60 million worth of free health screenings.
This marks the fifth year Walgreens has committed to providing free health screenings via a traveling health screening campaign.
This year’s initiative, which aims to administer more than 2.5 million free screenings, kicks off in New York City’s Rockefeller Plaza and for the next two years will hold screening events in more than 3,000 communities nationwide and Puerto Rico. The screenings include total cholesterol levels, blood pressure, bone density, glucose levels, waist circumference and body mass index.
The AARP/Walgreens Wellness Tour is comprised of nine custom-equipped buses with a staff of Walgreens’ trained medical technicians. The buses will travel separate routes canvassing the country and will spend several days in designated cities providing free services at local events, community centers, Walgreens store locations and other select locations with a special emphasis on underserved communities. Results are instantly provided and consumers are encouraged to visit a doctor or healthcare provider to discuss them. Visitors also have access to free educational information on a variety of health-and-wellness issues that are available in both English and Spanish.
“During previous tours, I witnessed how these free screenings can be a life-saving resource. We’re proud to carry on that tradition,” stated Greg Wasson, Walgreens president and CEO. “Joining with AARP for our renewed effort is perfect because of its dedication to improving lives and offering greater access to health resources, particularly among those most in need. Together, we can tap into our strong community networks to make sure the tour reaches the people who need us most.”
Of those screened in 2008:
- 72.8% had high blood pressure levels
- 68.2% had high body mass index
- 65.9% had low bone density
- 60.5% had a waist circumference outside of the normal range
- 38% had high cholesterol levels
- 13.3% had high glucose levels.
For more information, customers can call (866)-484-8687 or visit www.aarpwalgreens.com/tour.