Take Care Health Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ: WAG) and the largest and most comprehensive provider of convenient care clinics and worksite health and wellness centers in the country, is now offering nebulizer treatments, when clinically appropriate, for clinic patients exhibiting acute respiratory distress (see also Take Care Health Systems).
The expansion of services to include nebulizer treatments comes as a direct response to conversations and integration with the medical community, patient and provider feedback and demonstrated market need. According to National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care surveys, 'diseases of the respiratory system' were the third largest primary diagnosis among visits to the emergency room in 2005 and 2006, comprising 2.8% and 3.1% of all ER visits respectively.
'Take Care health professionals routinely evaluate and treat patients with respiratory symptoms including wheezing, coughing and other symptoms that could be related to bronchitis, asthma exacerbations or other respiratory illnesses,' said Sandra Ryan, RN, MSN, CPNP, FAANP and chief nurse practitioner officer for Take Care Health Systems. 'Offering nebulizer treatments at Take Care Clinics across the country provides our nationally certified clinicians another tool to ensure individuals and families can receive clinically appropriate care where and when it's needed.'
Nebulizer treatments will be available year-round to patients two years of age and older at all Take Care Clinics. All nebulizer treatments will be administered, if deemed medically necessary, in conjunction with an evaluation at a Take Care Clinic. While undergoing treatment at a clinic, patients can receive prescriptions for nebulizers that can be filled at the patient's pharmacy of choice. In addition, providers will offer the patient demonstration and education on the use of nebulizers and inhalers as needed.
'Over the past year, we have seen more than 300,000 cases of acute respiratory conditions. Nurse practitioners and physician assistants have written prescriptions for nebulizers or meter dosed inhalers for roughly 10 percent of visits,' said Peter Miller, Take Care Health Systems president and CEO. 'Our team based approach involved conversations with the medical community, combined with feedback from our health care professionals and market research, illustrating for us that nebulizer treatments are a necessary, timely and appropriate treatment to offer in Take Care Clinics. This valuable new service provides greater convenience for those who would normally go to an emergency room or urgent care clinic, or patients traveling away from home and are in need of a nebulizer treatment.'
Take Care Clinics are professional walk-in health care centers open seven days a week, with extended evening and weekend hours. Clinics are staffed by board certified nurse practitioners and physician assistants 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 able to write prescriptions as clinically appropriate that can be filled at the patient's pharmacy of choice. The clinics also offer preventive services such as camp, sport and back-to-school physicals; men's and women's health evaluations and vaccinations including GARDASIL (HPV), Menactra (meningitis), the shingles vaccine and others.
Take Care Health Systems encourages all patients to have a health care home, a primary care provider they see for ongoing medical needs and routine exams. If a patient's condition falls outside the scope of service at a Take Care Clinic, the patient is referred to an appropriate site for care, such as a primary care provider or specialist.
Take Care Health Systems currently manages more than 340 Take Care Clinics at Walgreens drugstores in 35 markets across 19 states, including locations in: Atlanta, Boulder-Longmont, Colo., Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Ohio, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Green Bay, Wis., Houston, Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Knoxville, Las Vegas, Louisville, Madison, Wis., Memphis, Miami, Milwaukee, Nashville, Tenn., New Orleans, Orlando, Fla., Oshkosh, Wis., Peoria, Ill., Philadelphia-area, Phoenix, Pittsburgh, Rockford, Ill., St. Louis, Tampa, Fla., Topeka, Kan., Tucson, Ariz., West Palm Beach, Fla. and Wichita, Kan. About Take Care Health Systems Take Care Health Systems (www.takecarehealthsystem.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Walgreens and part of Walgreens Health and Wellness division, is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and convenient care clinics in the country. TCHS is comprised of Take Care Consumer Solutions (www.takecarehealth.com) and Take Care Health Employer Solutions (www.takecareemployersolutions.com). Take Care Consumer Solutions manages Take Care Clinics at select Walgreens drugstores throughout the country. 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 Health Employer Solutions manages primary care, health and wellness, occupational health, pharmacy and fitness centers at large employer campuses. Combined, Take Care Health Systems manages more than 700 worksite and retail health care centers. About Walgreens Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2008 sales of $59 billion. The company operates 6,943 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and services and cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness 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.
Keywords: Nebulizers, Health, Hospitals, Infectious Diseases, Pharmaceutical, Other Health, Allergies, Allergy Medicine, Asthma, Infectious Disease, Medical Device, Nebulizer, Pharmaceuticals, Strep Throat, Wellness, Take Care Health Systems.
This article was prepared by Biotech Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Biotech Week via NewsRx.com.
