VillageMD, a primary care chain that's majority owned by Walgreens, plans to help identify and treat COPD patients under a new partnership.
The company is working with the COPD Foundation to spot patients with undiagnosed COPD and connect them with pulmonary rehabilitation. An estimated 15 million Americans have the disease but don't know it.
"The best place to address COPD is in primary care, and Village Medical is a respected provider of quality primary care," said Byron Thomashow, MD, co-founder and chief medical officer of the COPD Foundation, in an April 26 news release. "We look forward to collaborating with Village Medical's physicians and advanced practice providers to engage our community as we work together to identify the missing millions."