Walgreens–McLaren Collaboration Looks to Lure Young Patients to Retail Clinics

When Walgreens takes possession of 14 of McLaren Healthcare’s  pharmacies in Michigan, it will be more than a straightforward acquisition of real estate and assets. Rather, the two parties’ businesses will become intertwined to some degree, with McLaren’s opening up retail clinics inside Walgreens stores, and Walgreens appropriating the health system’s prescription files and site pharmacy inventories. One aim, according to industry analysts, is to reach younger consumers who have already illustrated an interest in walk-in care—part of the same target audience urgent care has been so expert at appealing to and treating. It’s similar to moves Walgreens has made before, having cobranded with other partners in 10 states. It will be the first such venture for McLaren, however. It moves Walgreens a step closer to being competitive with CVS on the retail clinic front. CVS has the larges number of walk-in clinics among retail drugstore chains.