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Take Care Health Systems Celebrates National Nurse Practitioner Week

Posted on: Monday, 10 November 2008, 15:00 CST

Take Care Health Systems, the largest provider of convenient care clinics and worksite health and wellness centers in the country and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ: WAG), is celebrating national Nurse Practitioner Week by recognizing the company's valued Nurse Practitioners (NPs) working at the 279 Take Care Clinics at Walgreens drugstores and at many of the 366 worksite health and wellness centers across the country. National NP Week occurs across the country from Nov. 9-15 and is sponsored by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners.

"Nurse Practitioners are a key component of Take Care Health Systems' approach to enhancing access to high-quality, convenient health care and redefining a patient's health care experience," said Sandra Ryan, RN, MSN, CPNP and Chief Nurse Practitioner Officer for Take Care Health Systems. "Take Care Health has expanded its innovative convenient care and worksite health delivery models quickly across the U.S., treating millions of patients while also helping to elevate the role that NPs play in the health care delivery system.

"Take Care Health focuses on designing a company where all providers - NPs, Physicians, Physician Assistants (PAs), Medical Concierge (MCs) and others - can provide compassionate, thorough care to patients who need customized health care solutions to fit their needs. And, providers across the country have embraced this new model of health care delivery and love being part of the solution for improving access for all."

Take Care Clinics, walk-in health care centers open seven days a week at select Walgreens across the country, are staffed primarily by registered nurses who are board certified as family nurse practitioners. The clinics treat patients 18 months and older for common illnesses such as strep throat, ear and sinus infections, pink eye and poison ivy. The NPs and PAs are licensed to write prescriptions that can be filled at the patient's pharmacy of choice and are there to provide education and counseling. Take Care Health Providers offer diagnostic screenings; school, sports and camp physicals; and provide a wide range of vaccinations, including flu shots.

"Now more than ever NPs are vital to solving the lack of affordable, accessible, high-quality care in the U.S. health care system," said Dr. David Nash, Dean, The Jefferson School of Health Policy and Population Health. "With millions of our citizens having limited or no access to preventive care, and many more without a source of ongoing primary care, these top professionals truly deserve to be recognized for the efforts they are making every day in helping America get and stay healthy."

Take Care Health strives to empower all clinicians by creating a culture throughout the organization that is committed to addressing national health care challenges. In fact, a recent survey conducted by an independent research firm found that 92 percent of NPs working at Take Care Clinics were extremely or very satisfied with their jobs, with 44 percent noting extreme satisfaction, and cited the fact that they feel valued and respected by an organization that is "part of the solution" as key drivers of their high satisfaction.

Take Care Health Systems currently employs nearly 1,300 nurse practitioners at Take Care Clinics and worksite health centers.

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 279 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 366 employer campuses across 182 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 6,544 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 279 convenient care clinics at Walgreens drugstores, and Take Care Employer Solutions, managers of worksite-based health and wellness services at 366 employer campuses.

Source: Business Wire

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