Take Care Clinics Now Offering Convenient Back-to-School and Sports Physicals

With back-to-school time right around the corner, Take Care Health Systems, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ: WAG) and the nation’s largest and most comprehensive manager of convenient care clinics and worksite health and wellness centers, is now offering back-to-school physicals at Take Care Clinics nationwide. The physicals are administered by board certified nurse practitioners and physician assistants and are available for $35 through September 30, 2010. Families or groups with two or more children, who arrive at the Take Care Clinic together, can receive back-to-school physicals for $30 each.

Back-to-school physicals conducted at Take Care Clinics are a holistic exam of the physical and mental well-being of a student. During the physical, a Take Care Health provider will assess a student’s height, weight, body mass index, vision and other information while also discussing and providing counseling on immunizations and high-risk behaviors. State requirements for back-to-school physicals vary. Parents and guardians can talk to a school official or a Take Care Health professional to learn what’s appropriate for their child.

"This is a busy time for parents and children who are tackling their back-to-school checklists,” said Sandra Festa Ryan, RN, MSN, CPNP, FAANP, chief nurse practitioner officer for Take Care Health Systems. "Take Care Clinics offer physicals and high-quality health care services with ease and simplicity for patients and families – ensuring access to trusted clinicians, who can discuss medical history, perform comprehensive exams, administer appropriate vaccinations and provide guidance on living and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.”

Take Care Clinics are professional walk-in health care centers located in more than 350 Walgreens drug stores across the country. Clinics are open seven days a week, including evenings and weekends, giving patients the option to access a variety of health care services, such as back-to-school physicals, at their convenience. No appointment is necessary.

Back-to-school season is also a great time to ensure children are up-to-date on vaccines. Take Care nurse practitioners and physician assistants can administer appropriate immunizations for school-aged children, such as Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis), Menactra (meningitis), Varicella (chicken pox), MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and GARDASIL^® (HPV). It is recommended that patients bring a copy of their vaccination record and medical history to the Take Care Clinic in preparation to receive a back-to-school physical.

"There are 35 serious, vaccine-preventable illnesses and a back-to-school or sports physical is a perfect opportunity to talk with a trusted health care provider about appropriate vaccinations,” said Amy Garcia, RN, MSN, executive director for the National Association of School Nurses. "Every visit to a health care provider should be viewed as a chance to protect children from serious and deadly disease.”

Back-to-school physicals at Take Care Clinics do not take the place of a child’s yearly health exam and complete developmental assessment. Take Care Health providers encourage all patients to have a primary care provider who can facilitate this long-term relationship. Patients are referred to a primary care provider if they do not have one. Visit records will be shared with a patient’s provider if requested and all patients will be given a copy of their visit record to share with other health care providers.

Children involved in organized athletics may also need a separate sports physical. Take Care nurse practitioners and physician assistants are highly educated to address sports-specific issues including injuries, nutrition, and more. Sports physicals are also available at Take Care Clinics for $35 through September 30. High school and middle school level, pre-participation sports physicals are not available at Take Care Clinics in Kansas.

About Take Care Health Systems

Take Care Health Systems (http://www.takecarehealthsystem.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ: WAG) and part of Walgreens Health and Wellness division, is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and convenient care clinics in the country. TCHS is comprised of Take Care Consumer Solutions (www.takecarehealth.com) and Take Care Health Employer Solutions (www.takecareemployersolutions.com). Take Care Consumer Solutions manages Take Care Clinics at select Walgreens drugstores throughout the country. Patient care at each of the Take Care Clinics is provided by Take Care Health Services, an independently owned state professional corporation established in each market. Take Care Health Employer Solutions manages primary care, health and wellness, occupational health, pharmacy and fitness centers at large employer campuses. Combined, Take Care Health Systems manages more than 700 worksite and retail health care centers.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation’s largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2009 sales of $63 billion. The company operates 7,522 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreens provides the most convenient access to consumer goods and services and cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services in America through its retail drugstores and Walgreens Health and Wellness Division. The division includes Take Care Health Systems, the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health and wellness centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.