Walgreens Health Initiatives buys hospital home care unit

Drug Store News,  April 23, 2001  

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DEERFIELD, Ill. -- Walgreen Co.'s specialty healthcare division, Walgreens Health Initiatives, has acquired the home care operations of St. Vincent Hospital in Santa Fe, N.M., marking its first purchase of a hospital-based home care operation. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.

The deal has given WHI access to a new market for homebound patients who depend on St. Vincent Hospital for respiratory services and equipment, as well as home medical supplies. Officials of WHI, which operates home care facilities in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, New Mexico and Wisconsin, said the company would retain the patient care staff at the facility in Santa Fe.

"The care with which St. Vincent Hospital managed its home care operations, the standards it set and the staffs patient-focused philosophy strongly match WHI's business principles," said Ron Allen, vice president of WHI Home Care Services. "This acquisition fits appropriately into our ongoing strategy of acquiring quality home care businesses with local presence and relationships."

WHI is the trade name for Walgreens Advance Care, a wholly owned subsidiary of Walgreens that provides comprehensive home health services including infusion therapy, respiratory services and home medical equipment and supplies. Walgreens Health Initiatives also provides pharmacy benefit management services, mail service pharmacy and specialty pharmacy products and services.

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