Walgreens Boots Alliance Accelerates VillageMD Investment and Large-Scale Rollout of Primary Care Clinics

Rhea-AI Summary

Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) has significantly increased its investment in VillageMD to establish 600 to 700 Village Medical at Walgreens clinics across more than 30 U.S. markets over the next four years. This initiative builds on previous plans, with WBA completing a $750 million investment as part of a larger $1 billion commitment. The clinics aim to provide accessible, coordinated healthcare, particularly in underserved areas, emphasizing the integration of pharmacists into primary care teams for enhanced patient support.

Positive

• Accelerated investment of $750 million in VillageMD to expand to 600-700 clinics.
• Focus on providing healthcare services in underserved areas, enhancing community access.
• Integration of pharmacists into primary care teams for personalized care.

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• None.

Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) and VillageMD today announced that WBA has accelerated its investment in VillageMD to support the opening of 600 to 700 Village Medical at Walgreens primary care clinics in more than 30 U.S. markets within the next four years, with the intent to build hundreds more thereafter. Walgreens is the first national pharmacy chain to offer full-service primary care clinics co-located at its stores at a large scale.

In July of 2020, Walgreens and VillageMD announced an expansion of their partnership and the intent to open 500 to 700 clinics, supported by WBA’s investment in VillageMD over three years of $1 billion in equity and convertible debt, which included an initial $250 million equity investment. WBA and VillageMD have now re-negotiated the terms of their agreements to enable WBA to accelerate their investment to increase the pace and scale of the rollout of the clinics and to adjust certain other terms. As of today, WBA’s $750 million investment has been completed.

“Walgreens is focused on creating the pharmacy of the future, providing a broad and meaningful range of high-quality, affordable healthcare services to our patients and customers,” said Stefano Pessina, executive vice chairman and CEO, Walgreens Boots Alliance. “Through these conveniently located clinics at our neighborhood stores, we will uniquely integrate the pharmacist as a critical member of VillageMD’s multi-disciplinary care team to provide patients with personalized and coordinated care.”

“Together with Walgreens, we remain steadfast in our commitment to providing accessible, coordinated primary care in more communities nationwide,” said Tim Barry, chairman and CEO at VillageMD. “Village Medical at Walgreens offers a full continuum of care to meet patients’ needs with a physician-led team of experienced providers. Our high-tech, high-touch model delivers exceptional and personal care to more patients at a time when coordinated primary care is most critical.”

In December of 2020, the companies announced plans to open the next 40 full-service primary care clinics in Texas, Arizona and Florida by the end of summer 2021. With many clinics in medically underserved areas, Village Medical at Walgreens will help meet the needs of patients, including those who may not have access to healthcare and are at greater risk of health disparities. The clinics will accept a wide range of health insurance options, offering cost-effective and comprehensive primary care to meet the full continuum of healthcare needs. Healthcare services are offered through a variety of ways, providing access to Village Medical care and support through in-person, at home and Village Medical telehealth providers on Walgreens Find Care™, which is an online platform that connects patients with a wide range of health services.

For more information about Village Medical at Walgreens services, please visit VillageMedical.com. For more information as well as multimedia assets, please visit the Walgreens Newsroom on walgreens.com.

Notes to Editors:

About Walgreens Boots Alliance
Walgreens Boots Alliance (Nasdaq: WBA) is a global leader in retail and wholesale pharmacy, touching millions of lives every day through dispensing and distributing medicines, and through its convenient retail locations, digital platforms and health and beauty products. The company has more than 100 years of trusted healthcare heritage and innovation in community pharmacy and pharmaceutical wholesaling.

Including equity method investments, WBA has a presence in more than 25 countries, employs more than 450,000 people and has more than 21,000 stores.

WBA’s purpose is to help people across the world lead healthier and happier lives. The company is proud of its contributions to healthy communities, a healthy planet, an inclusive workplace and a sustainable marketplace. WBA is a Participant of the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business.

WBA is included in FORTUNE’s 2020 list of the World’s Most Admired Companies*, ranked first in the food and drugstore category. This is the 27th consecutive year that WBA or its predecessor company, Walgreen Co., has been named to the list.

More company information is available at www.walgreensbootsalliance.com.

*© 2020, Fortune Media IP Limited. Used under license.

(WBA-GEN)

About VillageMD

VillageMD, through its subsidiary Village Medical, is a leading, national provider of value-based primary care services. VillageMD partners with physicians to provide the tools, technology, operations, staffing support and industry relationships to deliver high-quality clinical care and better patient outcomes, while reducing the total cost of care. The Village Medical brand provides primary care for patients at traditional free-standing clinics, Village Medical at Walgreens clinics, at home and via virtual visits. VillageMD and Village Medical have grown to include more than 2,800 physicians across nine markets, are responsible for approximately 600,000 lives and manage $4 billion in total medical spend in value-based contracts. To learn more, please visit www.VillageMD.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: All statements in this release that are not historical including, without limitation, those regarding the expected execution and effect of our business strategies and the strategic partnership and initiative are forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “expect,” “likely,” “outlook,” “forecast,” “preliminary,” “pilot,” “would,” “could,” “should,” “can,” “will,” “project,” “intend,” “plan,” “goal,” “target,” “aim,” “continue,” “sustain,” “transform,” “accelerate,” “long-term,” “believe,” “seek,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “upcoming,” “to come,” “may,” “possible,” “assume,” and variations of such words and similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. 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These and other risks, assumptions and uncertainties are described in Item 1A (Risk Factors) of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2020 and in other documents that we file or furnish with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements we make or that are made on our behalf are qualified by these cautionary statements. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they are made.

We do not undertake, and expressly disclaim, any duty or obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statement after the date of this release, whether as a result of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise.

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FAQ

What is Walgreens Boots Alliance's recent investment in VillageMD?

Walgreens Boots Alliance has increased its investment in VillageMD to a total of $750 million, aimed at establishing 600 to 700 Village Medical at Walgreens clinics across over 30 U.S. markets.

How many Village Medical clinics does WBA plan to open?

Walgreens Boots Alliance plans to open 600 to 700 Village Medical clinics within the next four years.

What is the purpose of Walgreens' investment in VillageMD?

The investment aims to enhance access to coordinated primary care, especially in medically underserved areas.

When will the new clinics be opened?

The rollout of the 600 to 700 Village Medical clinics is planned over the next four years.

How does WBA's investment affect healthcare access?

WBA's investment will improve healthcare access by establishing clinics in underserved communities, facilitating a broad range of healthcare services.