Walgreens is rolling out virtual care to 30 states after initially launching the platform in nine.
The pharmacy retailer expanded Walgreens Virtual Healthcare on Oct. 1, offering chat- and video-based visits with physicians and nurse practitioners for common conditions and men's and women's health issues.
"By providing both virtual and in-store healthcare options, Walgreens continues to deliver accessible, affordable and patient-centered care," Walgreens Chief Medical Officer Sashi Moodley, MD, said in an Oct. 28 statement. "Whether it's a quick doctor consultation, a prescription refill or lab orders, Walgreens Virtual Healthcare puts patients in control of their health."
Walgreens doesn't accept insurance for the virtual visits, but most chats cost $33 and video appointments range from $36 to $75.
The digital expansion comes as Walgreens has pulled back on retail healthcare. The company has been closing VillageMD clinics and looking at offloading its stake in the primary care chain.
The virtual service is available to patients physically located in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, North Carolina, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.
In addition, Walgreens is introducing wellness and sexually transmitted disease lab screenings Nov. 1.