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Audio Q&A: Drug Store News sat down with Joel Wright, Walgreens VP health systems operations, to talk about the company's WellTransitions program. Hospitals need retail pharmacy if they're going to reduce re-admissions, eliminate unnecessary healthcare costs and avoid penalties from Medicare for patient re-admission rates that are too high, under a new law that took effect Oct. 1. With that in mind, Walgreens created WellTransitions.

CAMP HILL, Pa. — Rite Aid's revamped website will offer a "more personalized and engaging" experience for customers, the company said Monday.

The new site, which it worked with Razorfish Healthware to design, includes easier access to online pharmacy services, health and wellness information.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreens on Friday promoted Joseph Magnacca to EVP from SVP, effective immediately. Magnacca also retains his title as president of daily living products and solutions.

When given a choice, patients prefer to receive an electronic prescription if they receive a prescription from their physician, according to the most recent Patient Views infographic. To be specific, 64% of respondents said they would choose an e-prescription when provided an option, according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August. How many patients are actually given a choice as to how they receive their prescription, and how many currently are receiving electronic prescriptions?

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — The new data by Marketdata Enterprises is significant as it puts a number against a very valuable and fast-growing segment of health care that will continue to grow regardless of who is elected president and what happens to healthcare reform.

The interest in healthcare reform has reached a new high, especially in light of the decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, yet there's no denying that consumers are still unclear as to the impact on their personal healthcare and insurance issues. That being said, Americans see a need for change as they battle rising costs and a lack of access to care, and many are saying "aye" to healthcare reform, according to the most recent Patient Views infographic.

Costs are the biggest concern for opponents of healthcare reform. They’ve done the math — additional healthcare consumers means care that’s both more expensive and harder to come by. As many as 3-in-4 consumers who are not big fans of healthcare reform share that concern — 30% of those consumers suggested it’s their greatest concern, according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August. A reduction in care quality was concern No.

A satisfied customer could just offer the highest return on investment of any marketing vehicle available to a retail pharmacy, according to the most recent Patient Views infographic. In all, 72% of patients say they would recommend their preferred pharmacy to their friends and family, according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August. And again, grocery stores finished at the top (80%).

Restricted pharmacy networks are becoming more prevalent, and mandatory mail has long been a threat, but the good news among Patient Views panelists is that more than 8-out-of-10 say their insurance allows them to go to the pharmacy of their choice, according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August.

Stay tuned this week, as Patient Views further explores pharmacy satisfaction and what it would take to get them to break allegiances and switch pharmacies.

This is one of those good news/bad news situations. On one hand, 77% of pharmacy patients believe that the pharmacist at their preferred pharmacy is always available to answer their questions and consult on medications, with local independents ranking at the high end of the curve at 84%. Unsurprisingly, pharmacists at mail-order pharmacies got the lowest marks (56%), according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August.

It's probably no surprise that for the 9-of-10 patients who say they have a preferred pharmacy that the pharmacist is a very important factor in choosing one pharmacy over another (37% overall), according to an exclusive survey of nearly 800 patients conducted by AccentHealth and DSN in late July and early August. It should be even less surprising that this number was even higher among patients who listed the local independent as their preferred pharmacy (54%).

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT'S IMPORTANT — Man, you gotta love it when a plan comes together. In the past week, two stories broke that will help position Walgreens at the top of their A-game. One is the announcement of Walgreens' entree into the loyalty card arena in just a few short weeks; the other is a huge technology news of Walgreens' rollout of an electronic health record across the company's entire platform. And all this not too long after announcing a blockbuster partnership with Alliance Boots and not too long before Walgreens rejoins the Express Scripts pharmacy network.