Blue Shield of California and Walgreens today announced a new collaboration to expand access to health care, lower costs, and bring innovative services to enhance the consumer experience for individuals, families, and communities throughout California.
The initial phase of the collaboration will center on Walgreens Health Corner™ services – a personalized experience for Blue Shield commercial members to improve their health outcomes. The Health Corner locations will include health advisors – pharmacists, dieticians, or nurses – to inform and assist with health, nutrition, fitness, and disease management care coordination for either real-time or future care.
The healthcare services will focus on condition management and whole-person care. At launch, Blue Shield members in eligible plans will have access to blood pressure screenings, administration of A1C blood tests, and mammography care coordination. They will also be able to pick up take-home health screening tests with in-person assistance from health advisors for instruction on how to use and complete the kits, as well as support to locate new health and wellness products. Health advisors will also be present to help members set up their digital health applications on their mobile devices.
The program’s first phase will begin in late 2021 with the goal to expand Blue Shield’s service offerings to help close care gaps for members in Walgreens stores, virtually, and at home, in early 2022.
“We are thrilled to announce this collaboration with Walgreens because of our shared goal to reimagine health care,” said Peter Long, executive vice president of Strategy and Health Solutions at Blue Shield of California. “Together, we are transforming health care by launching innovative, high-touch, personalized, and holistic solutions for members and Californians with the ultimate goal of providing enhanced access to care that is worthy of our family and friends and sustainably affordable.”
“Walgreens is excited to join forces with Blue Shield of California for this community health effort,” said Vish Sankaran, Walgreens Boots Alliance chief innovation officer. “Blue Shield has a long-standing history of transforming health care for their members and beyond. By leveraging our trusted retail pharmacy locations, deep healthcare experience, and community relationships, together we are uniquely positioned to bridge gaps in care for many Californians to create a more seamless and convenient consumer experience.”
At Blue Shield, this is the latest example of the nonprofit health plan’s Health Reimagined strategy, the company’s ambitious effort to transform health care for individuals, families, and communities. Health Reimagined tests, pilots, and scales innovations to improve equitable access to high-quality, whole-person care through diverse collaborations with other leaders in health care, technology, and community-based organizations.