Take Care Health Systems Extends Presence in Phoenix with Five Additional Clinics

Take Care Health Systems has opened five new Take Care Clinics at Walgreens drugstores, as part of the company’s multi-phase expansion in the greater Phoenix area. Take Care Health Systems, one of the largest managers of convenient care clinics and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ: WAG), now has a total of 22 Take Care Clinics open in the state, including 13 in Phoenix and 9 in Tucson. Take Care Clinics, walk-in, professional health care centers staffed by board-certified nurse practitioners, are open seven days a week with extended evening and weekend hours.

"Take Care Health Systems has treated more than 700,000 patients nationwide since November 2005. Residents throughout the Phoenix area have embraced this high-quality health care service,” said Nancy Zaner, Regional Nurse Practitioner for the West/Southwest region, including the Arizona markets. "As a result, we’ve opened five new clinics in the Phoenix-area to add to the eight clinics we have opened since September, giving residents greater access to convenient and affordable health care.”

Take Care Clinics in the Phoenix market are staffed by family nurse practitioners who treat patients 18 months and older for common illnesses such as strep throat, ear and sinus infections, pink eye and poison ivy, and are licensed to write prescriptions that can be filled at the patient’s pharmacy of choice. Take Care Nurse Practitioners also provide school, sports and camp physicals and offer vaccinations for chickenpox, flu, hepatitis B, measles, mumps and rubella (MMR), meningitis, pneumonia, tetanus and human pappilomavirus (HPV).

Clinics have two patient examination rooms, exam tables, sinks, innovative patient registration kiosks and electronic medical record technology for visit documentation. Clinics are open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.; Saturday 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. New Take Care Clinics are open at the following Walgreens drugstores:

Existing Take Care Clinics in Phoenix include:

Take Care Health Systems has partnered with numerous insurers including Aetna, ChoiceCare, CIGNA, Coventry, GreatWest, Humana, Multiplan/PHCS, UnitedHealthcare and traditional Medicare. If insured by one of these plans, patients pay their regular co-pay or coinsurance amount. Take Care Health Systems is hoping to obtain a contract from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona so it will be able to accept the health plan at Take Care Clinics soon. For the uninsured or cash payers, prices average $59-$74 and are listed on clinic sign-in kiosks.

"Our experienced Take Care Nurse Practitioners understand their local communities and truly care about a patient’s long term well-being,” said Zaner. "These clinics provide a valuable option to patients, and we are excited to bring additional clinics to the Phoenix area, promoting greater access to care.”

Take Care Nurse Practitioners encourage all patients to have a health care home, a provider they see routinely for on-going medical needs and routine exams. If a patient’s condition falls outside of the scope of service at the clinic, the patient is referred back to his/her primary care provider for follow-on care. If a patient does not have a primary care provider, nurse practitioners will offer a list of providers in the area accepting new patients. Take Care Nurse Practitioners collaborate with local physicians who are available for consultation at all times the nurse practitioner is treating a patient. Collaborating physicians and other local providers work with Take Care Nurse Practitioners to accept patient referrals.

Take Care Health Systems uses nationally recognized, evidence-based clinical guidelines for treatment and electronic medical record technology allowing patients to take visit records to other providers, promoting continuity of care. Take Care Nurse Practitioners follow quality and safety standards as outlined by the Convenient Care Association, the industry’s trade association.

Take Care Health Systems is part of the Walgreens Health and Wellness division, a compilation of two core businesses: Consumer Solutions, Take Care Clinics located at Walgreens drugstores throughout the country, and Employer Solutions, the largest, most comprehensive provider of workplace health, pharmacy, fitness and wellness services. Take Care Health Systems is the largest provider of convenient care clinics and worksite health and wellness centers in the country.

Take Care Health Systems currently manages 275 clinics in 33 markets and 15 states, including locations in: Atlanta, Boulder-Longmont, Colo., Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Ohio, Denver, Green Bay, Wis., Houston, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Louisville, Madison, Wis., Miami, Milwaukee, Nashville, Tenn., Orlando, Fla., Oshkosh, Wis., Peoria, Ill., Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Rockford, Ill., St. Louis, Tampa, Fla., Topeka, Kan., Tucson, Ariz., West Palm Beach, Fla. and Wichita, Kan.

About Take Care Health Systems^SM

Take Care Health Systems (www.takecarehealth.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens, is part of Walgreens Health and Wellness division, which includes Take Care Consumer Solutions, managers of convenient care clinics located at select Walgreens drugstores nationwide, and Take Care Employer Solutions, managers of worksite-based health and wellness services. The company combines best practices in health care and the expertise and personal care of providers to deliver access to high-quality, affordable and convenient health care to all individuals. The Take Care Consumer Solutions group currently manages 275 Take Care Clinics in 33 markets and 15 states. Patient care at each of the Take Care Clinics is provided by Take Care Health Services, an independently owned state professional corporation established in each market. Take Care Employer Solutions manages primary care, health and wellness and occupational health centers at 364 employer campuses across 183 clients in 44 states, including the District of Columbia and Guam.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2008 sales of $59 billion. The company operates 6,479 drugstores in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and cost-effective health care services in America through its retail drugstores, Walgreens Health Services division and Walgreens Health and Wellness division. Walgreens Health Services assists pharmacy patients and prescription drug and medical plans through Walgreens Health Initiatives Inc. (a pharmacy benefit manager), Walgreens Mail Service Inc., Walgreens Home Care Inc., Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy LLC and SeniorMed LLC (a pharmacy provider to long-term care facilities). Walgreens Health and Wellness division includes Take Care Health Systems, which is comprised of: Take Care Consumer Solutions, managers of 275 convenient care clinics at Walgreens drugstores, and Take Care Employer Solutions, managers of worksite-based health and wellness services at 364 employer campuses.