Johns Hopkins Medicine and Walgreens Sign Collaboration Agreement

Johns Hopkins Medicine (JHM) and Walgreens (NYSE, NASDAQ:WAG) today announced they have entered into a wide-ranging agreement designed to promote collaboration on population-based research and to jointly review and develop protocols to improve outcomes of patients with chronic diseases. In addition, JHM and Walgreens will together explore the development of new models for improving care for individuals. This will include the creation of new educational and training programs for Walgreens 70,000 health care service providers.

The agreement provides JHM with the opportunity to develop innovative population-based research ideas with a nationwide industry leader who is committed to improving health care outcomes and possesses advanced data systems and a large patient base, prerequisites for such large-scale studies. As part of a commitment to patient privacy, all patient information used for these studies will be anonymous.

JHM has for years provided its expertise to the health care industry and to corporations seeking to improve the care and outcomes of their patients or employees. For example, JHM’s Center for Innovation in Quality Patient Care has been creating new models of health care delivery that improve patient safety, quality and efficiency at Hopkins and in hundreds of hospitals in the United States and around the world.

"By collaborating with Johns Hopkins Medicine, we will access some of the best expertise in health care to develop research, protocols and training programs designed to improve patient outcomes through our nationwide network of accessible community pharmacists, nurse practitioners, physicians and other clinicians,” says Kermit Crawford, Walgreens president of pharmacy, health and wellness.

"Improving the care of people with chronic conditions, like asthma, diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and heart disease, is a central goal of health professionals, health systems and U.S. policy makers,” says Fred Brancati, M.D., professor of medicine and director of the Division of General Internal Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "It makes sense medically, and under health care reform, it makes sense financially, too. It’s a part of the Hopkins mission that Walgreens can help us advance. Combining our clinical expertise and research know-how with their nationwide resources — including pharmacies, clinics, worksite health centers, information systems and 70,000 health care service providers — will generate new approaches to improve population health.”

According to Patricia Brown, Esq., president of Johns Hopkins HealthCare LLC, "With its large patient and client base, sophisticated IT infrastructure and commitment to improving health care outcomes for its patients, Walgreens provides us with a unique opportunity to conduct large-scale population-based research. It also affords us the chance to augment Walgreens’ existing quality and education programs to enhance care and outcomes for a very large number of people.”

Specifically, the agreement sets up opportunities for:

• Research Programs. In conjunction with the current Walgreens research team, JHM experts will develop new ideas for research in disease management, screening and prevention that they will spin off into proposals for funding.
• Clinical Protocol Development/Review. Johns Hopkins faculty are international leaders in developing health care protocols, medical guidelines and algorithms in the areas of chronic disease management. They will work closely with Walgreens experts to review and improve care.
• Professional Training. By leveraging the capabilities within JHM in the area of onsite and distance education for physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, technicians, pharmacists and others, JHM hopes to develop a comprehensive program to expand and enhance the ongoing professional education of the professionals within the Walgreens network.
• Clinical Program Development and Health Plan Services. JHM and Walgreens will explore the possibility of jointly developing lifestyle, chronic care and disease-specific programs.

About Johns Hopkins Medicine

Headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland, Johns Hopkins Medicine is a $5 billion integrated global health enterprise and one of the leading academic medical centers in the United States. A nonprofit, Johns Hopkins Medicine combines its 120-year commitment to community care with groundbreaking research, teaching and medical services to patients worldwide.

The Johns Hopkins Hospital has been ranked number one in the nation for 20 consecutive years by U.S. News & World Report. Johns Hopkins scientists receive more federal research support annually ($610 million in 2010) than counterparts in other U.S. medical schools. With more than 30,000 employees, Johns Hopkins Medicine is among Maryland’s largest private employers and the largest in Baltimore City. The total FY 2010 economic impact of all the Johns Hopkins institutions in Maryland alone is an estimated $10 billion. Johns Hopkins International brings world-class health care to more than 25 strategic projects in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Johns Hopkins Medicine operates six academic and community hospitals, four suburban health care and surgery centers; employs more than 2,800 physicians; and has about 1.9 million outpatient visits annually.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is the nation's largest drugstore chain with fiscal 2010 sales of $67 billion. The company operates 7,709 drugstores in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Each day, Walgreens provides nearly 6 million customers the most convenient, multichannel access to consumer goods and services and trusted, cost-effective pharmacy, health and wellness services and advice in communities across America. Walgreens scope of pharmacy services includes retail, specialty, infusion, medical facility and mail service, along with respiratory services. These services improve health outcomes and lower costs for payers including employers, managed care organizations, health systems, pharmacy benefit managers and the public sector. Take Care Health Systems is a Walgreens subsidiary that is the largest and most comprehensive manager of worksite health centers and in-store convenient care clinics, with more than 700 locations throughout the country.