DEERFIELD, Ill. — As pharmacy services become more widely available at the workplace, Walgreen Co. is bringing together representatives from leading employers and payers to examine the evolving role of employers in health care at the first Walgreens Employer Health and Wellness Executive Client Forum.
The drug store chain said Monday that the two-day event will feature presentations from Walgreens executives on clinical outcomes data supporting the benefits of employer health programs beyond traditional services. Attendees also will participate in activities to identify and share best practices on how employers can leverage emerging trends in the health care and pharmacy space.
Participating companies include Caterpillar Inc., Highmark and Toyota. Each firm manages health and/or pharmacy needs in tandem with Take Care Health Systems, Walgreens’ retail and work-site health clinic subsidiary.
"No matter what industry or line of business, companies across the country are increasingly looking for innovative, measurable health care and pharmacy solutions which can improve outcomes and convenience for their employees, while simultaneously reducing overall costs," Peter Hotz, group vice president at Walgreens, said in a statement. "Walgreens is steadily building on our unique collection of assets across the pharmacy, health and wellness spectrum to offer payers and employers customizable programs designed to achieve these goals. This forum is an excellent opportunity for current and prospective clients to learn more about the future of employer health, as well as share key successes and challenges they have experienced and learned within their organizations."
Presentations and Walgreens speakers on key topics in the employer health and pharmacy sector include "Integration and Multifaceted Support: Keys to Improving Outcomes for People with Chronic Diseases," by Cheryl Pegus, chief medical officer; "Health Cloud: Enabling Improved Care Through Enhanced Technolog,y" by Tim Theriault, chief information officer; "The Next Phase of Pharmacy: Integrating Specialty Pharmacy and Infusion Services into an On-site Pharmacy or Worksite," led by Stephen Kansler, vice president of specialty pharmacy solutions; and "Removing Roadblocks: Innovative Health Care Trends and Traditional Care Alternatives," led by Colin Watts, chief innovation officer.
"With the growing use of technologies like electronic medical records (EMRs) and medication monitoring programs to help patients boost their adherence and manage chronic conditions, smart companies need to be constantly exploring how to get the most out of the health care options available," commented Paul VanDeventer, divisional vice president for the employer segment at Walgreens. "By informing organizations about these services, and also demonstrating to them the specific impact they can have, Walgreens is furthering its commitment to being a go-to health resource for employers and payers."
