Walgreens is making its foray into a new healthcare service offering. In select clinics beginning on April 25, the Deerfield, Illinois-based company will begin offering tests for sexually transmitted infections.
The testing service will be available at Walgreens Healthcare Clinics in Cincinnati; Cleveland; Columbus, Ohio; Dallas; Denver; Houston; Kansas City; Knoxville, Tennessee; Las Vegas; Louisville, Kentucky; Memphis, Tennessee; Nashville, Tennessee; Orlando, Florida; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Tucson, Arizona; Washington, D.C.; and Wichita, Kansas.
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Walgreens nurse practitioners and physician assistants will conduct a consultation with each patient before conducting tests, which will be available for a variety of conditions such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV. The testing method depends on the STI for which the patient is being assessed.
A Walgreens spokesperson told MedCity the new STI testing services align with a number of Walgreens’ broader goals. “Also, by offering these services, we can assist with national efforts to help reduce the transmission of HIV and other STIs,” the spokesperson said via email. “These new offerings are an extension of our purpose to champion everyone’s right to be happy and healthy.”
In addition, the company is making its mark in the HIV prevention space. Also on April 25, Walgreens Healthcare Clinics in Houston will begin prescribing Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, or PrEP, to HIV-free individuals who are at risk of contracting the virus. By taking PrEP as directed, these groups can reduce their chance of infection by over 90 percent, according to Walgreens.
Initially bringing the HIV prevention service to Houston was an intentional move. “We chose Houston based on demographic, market research and metrics related to HIV prevention,” a Walgreens spokesperson told MedCity. “After evaluating this offering in Houston, we plan to have Healthcare Clinic providers in other markets where we have ‘Walgreens Healthcare Clinic’ locations begin prescribing PrEP as well.”
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Walgreens pharmacy staff members and store managers nationwide will also go through an educational training program on the topic by taking courses on HIV stigma, HIV prevention and improving PrEP adherence. “With this training, our pharmacy staff will be even more equipped to offer one-on-one medication counseling and other support services that provide our patients living with HIV/AIDS and their families, as well as those at risk for HIV, with compassionate, confidential care,” Glen Pietrandoni, Walgreens senior director of virology disease state, said in a statement.
This isn’t Walgreens’ first time supporting HIV prevention services. Last June, the company and Greater Than AIDS, a public information response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, joined forces with health departments and organizations to provide free HIV testing services.
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