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CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — Take Care Health Sytems, the retail health clinic subsidiary of Walgreen Co., has added nebulizer treatments for patients exhibiting acute respiratory distress.
Nebulizer treatments will be available year-round to patients ages 2 and older at all Take Care clinics. The treatments will be administered, if deemed medically necessary, in tandem with an evaluation at a Take Care clinic, the company said.
The addition of nebulizer treatments comes in response to conversations with the medical community, patient and provider feedback, and market need, Take Care Health Systems noted. According to National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care surveys, respiratory system diseases are one of the leading primary diagnoses in emergency room visits.
“Take Care health professionals routinely evaluate and treat patients with respiratory symptoms, including wheezing, coughing and other symptoms, that could be related to bronchitis, asthma exacerbations or other respiratory illnesses,” Sandra Ryan, chief nurse practitioner officer for Take Care Health Systems, said in a statement. “Offering nebulizer treatments at Take Care Clinics across the country provides our nationally certified clinicians another tool to ensure individuals and families can receive clinically appropriate care where and when it’s needed.”
Clinic patients also can get prescriptions for nebulizers and fill them at their pharmacy of choice. In addition, providers will offer patients demonstrations and education on the use of nebulizers and inhalers.
“Over the past year, we have seen more than 300,000 cases of acute respiratory conditions. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants have written prescriptions for nebulizers or meter-dosed inhalers for roughly 10% of visits,” commented Peter Miller, Take Care Health Systems president and chief executive officer.
“This valuable new service provides greater convenience for those who would normally go to an emergency room or urgent care clinic, or patients traveling away from home and are in need of a nebulizer treatment,” Miller explained.
Take Care Health Systems operates more than 340 clinics at Walgreens drug stores in 19 states.
Take Care has continued to expand its menu of services. In July, it added procedures for skin conditions and minor injury treatments.
