Content about healthcare

January 7, 2011

Walgreens’ increasing use of mobile technology platforms is transforming the way the company reaches patients and is expanding its ability to deliver health services via smart phones and other devices, a Walgreens official asserted Friday.

LAS VEGAS — Walgreens’ increasing use of mobile technology platforms is transforming the way the company reaches patients and is expanding its ability to deliver health services via smart phones and other devices, a Walgreens official asserted Friday.

Speaking at the opening of the Consumer Electronics Show’s Digital Health Summit this morning, Walgreens chief medical officer Cheryl Pegus laid out the ways the health services and retail pharmacy giant is leveraging technology to make personal health management easier for patients.

January 7, 2011

Almost $8,000 a year in healthcare savings, per patient. That’s how much patients with congestive heart failure could save the U.S. healthcare system simply by taking their medications as prescribed, an exhaustive, three-year study by CVS Caremark concluded.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — Almost $8,000 a year in healthcare savings, per patient. That’s how much patients with congestive heart failure could save the U.S. healthcare system simply by taking their medications as prescribed, an exhaustive, three-year study by CVS Caremark concluded.

(THE NEWS: Adherence among chronic disease patients can lead to big savings. For the full story, click here)

January 6, 2011

Patients with one or more out of four chronic diseases studied who take their medications as prescribed may save the healthcare system as much as $7,800 per patient annually, according to findings of a new CVS Caremark study analyzing annual pharmacy and medical costs over a three-year period.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Patients with one or more out of four chronic diseases studied who take their medications as prescribed may save the healthcare system as much as $7,800 per patient annually, according to findings of a new CVS Caremark study analyzing annual pharmacy and medical costs over a three-year period.

January 6, 2011

The economic recession attributed to a mere 4% rise in healthcare spending, the slowest rate of growth in the 50-year history of the National Health Expenditure Accounts, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

WASHINGTON — The economic recession attributed to a mere 4% rise in healthcare spending, the slowest rate of growth in the 50-year history of the National Health Expenditure Accounts, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

That number translates to $2.5 trillion, or about $8,086 per person.

CMS added that, despite the slowdown, healthcare spending growth continued to outpace overall economic growth, which declined 1.7% in 2009, as measured by nominal Gross Domestic Product.

January 6, 2011

Mom won’t need to monkey around looking for a bandage for her child’s “boo-boo” with this Medibuddy First Aid Kit To Go in her purse. The kit retails for a suggested $12.95. This one is on a pegboard at Babies "R" Us as part of the baby healthcare aisle.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Mom won’t need to monkey around looking for a bandage for her child’s “boo-boo” with this Medibuddy First Aid Kit To Go in her purse.

The kit retails for a suggested $12.95. This one is on a pegboard at Babies "R" Us as part of the baby healthcare aisle.

January 6, 2011

Take Care Health Systems, which is owned by Walgreens and currently operates more than 370 worksite clinics nationwide, has officially announced the opening of a new on-site medical center at Intel's Jones Farm Campus in Hillsboro, Ore.

CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa. — Take Care Health Systems, which is owned by Walgreens and currently operates more than 370 worksite clinics nationwide, has officially announced the opening of a new on-site medical center at Intel's Jones Farm Campus in Hillsboro, Ore.

January 5, 2011



Last month, the American Journal of Managed Care published a review of more than 40 years worth of studies from various medical journals that demonstrated that the best way to improve adherence is to get patients to talk to the store pharmacist; the second-best way is to get them to talk to a nurse before they leave the hospital.


January 5, 2011

RALEIGH, N.C. — Kerr Drug, North Carolina’s regional pharmacy power, had a busy year in 2010. After shedding 11 stores in the Charleston, S.C., market in 2009, the 90-store chain turned its full focus to serving the healthcare needs of North Carolina’s population.


It was, in retrospect, a wise move. Kerr has launched a series of initiatives in pharmacy care, store design, community health services and iPhone technology at a breathtaking pace, easily sustaining its reputation as one of chain pharmacy’s leading innovators. 


January 5, 2011

GOUVERNEUR, N.Y. — When you get north of Syracuse, N.Y., you enter a special part of Retail Pharmacy America known as “Kinney Country,” where people know their neighbors and everybody knows their neighborhood drug store.


January 5, 2011

TSAILE, Ariz. — Some people enter the twilight years of college without a clue of what they want to do, only to decide at the last minute. Others, like pharmacist Terry Teller, know early on.


For Teller, a member of the Navajo Native American tribe originally from Lukachukai, Ariz., helping to heal people is part of his heritage, with multiple generations of medicine men and women on both sides of his family.


January 5, 2011

The National Council for Prescription Drug Programs said Wednesday it would host an educational summit on the use and impact of new pharmacy and health-integration technologies next month in Las Vegas.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The National Council for Prescription Drug Programs said Wednesday it would host an educational summit on the use and impact of new pharmacy and health-integration technologies next month in Las Vegas.

January 5, 2011

A designer and manufacturer of digital personal healthcare products has launched a blood-pressure monitoring system for the Apple iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

LAS VEGAS — A designer and manufacturer of digital personal healthcare products has launched a blood-pressure monitoring system for the Apple iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad.

IHealth Lab's iHealth blood-pressure monitoring system lets users measure and track their blood pressure and heart rate.

January 5, 2011



Sales of diet-aid and weight-loss solutions for the past year have been relatively flat, but a confluence of factors — childhood obesity approaching “epidemic” status combined with the real need to reduce escalating healthcare costs connected to obesity — could become a real driver behind weight-loss products in the coming year. 


January 5, 2011

BOULDER, Colo. — Now 10 years operating its unique footprint in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy has been revving its growth engine lately. Pharmaca is targeting three new store openings in 2011, and between three and six new stores each year through 2015 — a pace that would put the chain at 44 locations in time for its 15th anniversary. “We will be expanding outside of the states in which we currently operate in the future,” said Mark Panzer, Pharmaca president and CEO.


January 5, 2011

Pharmacists who intervene with diabetes patients are having a clear and positive impact on clinical outcomes, a new study from Walgreens found.


In a presentation last month, two Walgreens healthcare leaders unveiled the results of a groundbreaking pilot project on pharmacy-based diabetic care. Walgreens launched the project, called Dimensions, at its worksite pharmacies in 2008.

January 5, 2011

Wellness Workdays on Wednesday adopted the Stayhealthy total body composition system to provide state-of-the-art measurement tools to increase the effectiveness of employee wellness programs.

HINGHAM, Mass. — Wellness Workdays on Wednesday adopted the Stayhealthy total body composition system to provide state-of-the-art measurement tools to increase the effectiveness of employee wellness programs. Wellness Workdays, a consulting firm based here, creates worksite wellness programs to inspire employees to make simple and positive changes and improve their health while working to lower healthcare costs for the employer.

January 4, 2011

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association on Monday named Bill Head as the association’s VP government affairs, effective Jan. 17, and promoted David Spangler as the association’s SVP policy, general counsel and secretary, effective immediately.

WASHINGTON — The Consumer Healthcare Products Association on Monday named Bill Head as the association’s VP government affairs, effective Jan. 17, and promoted David Spangler as the association’s SVP policy, general counsel and secretary, effective immediately.

January 4, 2011

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation is inviting health and pharmacy experts and other researchers to join the Herculean effort to improve patient adherence rates.

ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores Foundation is inviting health and pharmacy experts and other researchers to join the Herculean effort to improve patient adherence rates.

The invitation comes in the form of a new Request for Proposal, issued Tuesday by the NACDS Foundation. The foundation is seeking bids from research organizations to study primary medication nonadherence, which occurs when a patient fails to fill or pick up his or her newly prescribed medication.

January 3, 2011

A new joint healthcare venture between GE and Intel was launched on Monday, and both companies promise it will improve the quality of life for seniors.

FAIRFIELD, Conn., and SANTA CLARA, Calif. — A new joint healthcare venture between GE and Intel was launched on Monday, and both companies promise it will improve the quality of life for seniors.

The new company, called Intel-GE Care Innovations, “will develop technologies that support healthy, independent living at home and in senior housing communities,” both firms said. Care Innovations already has installed an executive team and board of managers “to support the new company’s transition and future growth,” according to the statement.

January 3, 2011

The Internal Revenue Service has released its guidance on the healthcare-reform law’s tax on drug makers, according to documents posted on the agency’s website.

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service has released its guidance on the healthcare-reform law’s tax on drug makers, according to documents posted on the agency’s website.

The tax applies to branded drug companies with total sales of at least $5 million to government health programs, including Medicare, Medicaid, Tricare and programs administered by the defense and veterans affairs departments.

December 27, 2010

In an unconventional move for a condom maker, Church & Dwight's Trojan brand will have a booth at CES.

PRINCETON, N.J. — In an unconventional move for a maker of consumer healthcare products, Church & Dwight’s Trojan condom brand will be a first-time exhibitor at the 2011 International Consumer Electronic Show. The company plans to use the highly publicized event to unveil a host of new products, including a multitip personal massager and “the new thinnest latex condom in brand history,” according to the company.

December 23, 2010

The CVS Caremark-sponsored study that illustrates pharmacists and nurses are the most effective healthcare "voice" in promoting medication adherence among patients is important because it marks the first step toward unlocking the potential of the collaborative care model (i.e., pharmacists and nurses), and getting those people who matter to pay attention.

WHAT IT MEANS AND WHY IT’S IMPORTANT — The CVS Caremark-sponsored study that illustrates pharmacists and nurses are the most effective healthcare "voice" in promoting medication adherence among patients is important because it marks the first step toward unlocking the potential of the collaborative care model (i.e., pharmacists and nurses), and getting those people who matter to pay attention.

December 22, 2010

Pharmacists at a retail pharmacy are the most influential healthcare "voice" in getting patients to take their medications as prescribed, followed by nurses talking with patients as they are discharged from a hospital, according to research sponsored by CVS Caremark.

WOONSOCKET, R.I. — Pharmacists at a retail pharmacy are the most influential healthcare "voice" in getting patients to take their medications as prescribed, followed by nurses talking with patients as they are discharged from a hospital, according to research sponsored by CVS Caremark.

December 21, 2010

The Council for Responsible Nutrition on Monday announced plans for a joint education effort with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Foundation to help raise the level of awareness within the supplement industry and with consumers about the valuable role of nurse practitioners in the quest for good health.

WASHINGTON — The Council for Responsible Nutrition on Monday announced plans for a joint education effort with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners and the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Foundation to help raise the level of awareness within the supplement industry and with consumers about the valuable role of nurse practitioners in the quest for good health.

December 21, 2010

A Mylan subsidiary has settled a lawsuit brought on by the Department of Justice four years ago.

BASKING RIDGE, N.J. — A Mylan subsidiary has settled a lawsuit brought on by the Department of Justice four years ago.