Walgreens' Worksite Health Centers Accredited

According to Benefits Pro, about half of the primary care worksite health centers managed by Walgreens Employer Solutions Group are now accredited as medical homes, according to an announcement by Walgreens and the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care. Walgreens also plans to receive accreditation for all of its employer-based primary care centers during the first half of 2013.

During the accreditation process, which takes one year, AAAHC representatives visited worksite health centers at multiple Walgreens’ client sites and conducted on-site surveys to determine whether these facilities satisfied AAAHC criteria as a Medical Home. As part of the requirements to be accredited as a medical home, they must be patient-centered, physician-directed, comprehensive and accessible. The medical homes also are to coordinate care with all of the patient's primary care and specialty care provider teams.

Worksite clinics and health centers that adhere to medical home principles may be more likely to help the sponsoring employer save money in the long run, since medical homes focus on prevention and wellness by keeping employees healthy and managing employees' chronic diseases. Employees who have access to a worksite clinic for these services may be more adherent to treatment regimens, considering the convenience of an on-site facility.