Walgreen Forms National Network with Indie Pharmacies

Walgreen, the nation’s largest pharmacy, and a slew of independent pharmacies are investing in RxAlly, a “private company that is launching a network involving 20,000 pharmacies focused on better care coordination,” according to the Associated Press.

The idea is for pharmacists to have “a chance to work more with patients to improve care and cut costs.”

The network aims to make it easier for pharmacists by “coordinating prescription refills (and) making sure the drugs a patient takes don't conflict or talk to a patient about the importance of taking medicines correctly,” RxAlly said in a statement.

"There is a need for greater access to health care for patients throughout the U.S.," added Bruce Roberts, CEO of RxAlly. "To address this challenge head on, RxAlly advances the role of community pharmacists to one that leverages their extensive clinical training, better equips them to interact with patients, improves patient health and lowers costs."

The pharmacists in the network will also be able to give immunization shots outside of flu shots with the expense for that extra work coming from RxAlly after insurers pay up, the AP notes.