WALGREENS

DALLAS — The Network of Executive Women has elected Catherine Lindner, former VP retail marketing for Walgreens, to serve as board chair.

Lindner was elected at the network's annual members meeting at the NEW Leadership Summit on Oct. 22 in Dallas. More than 1,000 industry executives attended the event.

Annie Zipfel, division VP customer marketing for retailer REI, was elected board vice chair. Zipfel most recently served as the network's chair of marketing and communications.

StoreBoard Media — a company that places advertising billboards on the security pedestals at the entrance of chain stores nationwide — is launching its StoreBoard Wellness Program throughout New York's 259 Duane Reade stores.

Through the program, Duane Reade stores will feature StoreBoard Media's billboards and in-store kiosks advertising brands like Eau Thermale Avene — a hypoallergenic skin recovery cream from Pierre Fabre USA — and encouraging customers to use the Purell hand sanitizer at the kiosk.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Recognizing the important role its community pharmacy team plays in helping people get, stay and live well, Walgreens is celebrating its more than 27,000 pharmacists and their commitment to patient care in communities nationwide during American Pharmacists Month.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — WellTransitions could be couched as another way in which Walgreens is striving to create solutions that lower the cost of overall health care outside of the physical retail pharmacy space, because it is. WellTransitions also could be characterized as a program that will routinely chip away at the $25 billion associated with hospital re-admissions by having more prescriptions filled at the pharmacy counter, because it does. But the real impact of this news? The real clincher?

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Improving medication adherence may be the key to reducing hospital re-admission rates, according to a new issue brief by a health policy research organization.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens recently announced the appointment of Brad Fluegel as SVP and chief strategy officer. Fluegel will be responsible for corporate strategy, business development, project management and the corporate consulting team while also working on venture capital efforts. 

DENVER — Busy Breathers on Tuesday announced the availability of its portable oxygen backpacks on e-commerce sites Drugstore.com and Walgreens.com and in 75 Walgreens locations throughout Colorado.  

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — American Well, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina and Walgreens' Take Care Health Systems have collaborated to make telehealth services available to thousands of BCBSNC employees located throughout North Carolina. The service, called OnlineCareNC, allows BCBSNC employees from home or work to receive a healthcare consultation from credentialed Take Care Health System nurse practitioners, health coaches or nutritionists through two-way video, secure text chat or phone.