Walgreen’s New Medication Management Program May Foreshadow Similar Models for Clinical Laboratory Services
Innovative care management models offer potential opportunities to expand medical laboratory testing services
Reducing hospital readmissions is a major goal and Walgreen Co. (NYSE:WAG) wants to do its part using a new medication management program. The retail pharmacy giant has entered contracts with about a dozen providers to deliver prescriptions to hospitalized patients and manage their medications for the first 30 days after discharge.
Pathologists and clinical laboratory managers know that preventable hospital readmissions cost the U.S. healthcare system approximately $25 billion per year. That figure was provided by a Walgreen’s press release. Among Medicare patients, about 20% are re-hospitalized within 30 days of discharge, the release stated.
“When a patient leaves the hospital with a new medication regimen, it can be overwhelming for both the individual and a caregiver,” observed Kermit R. Crawford, President, Pharmacy, Health and Wellness Division at Walgreens, in the release. (more…)
