Month: May 2024

Originally Published by Northwestern Mutual on May, 2, 2024

Feeling like you’re valued for who you are and what you contribute is important at work. But it doesn’t always come easily. There isn’t a magical point in time where a lightbulb goes off and you feel heard and accepted. It’s a constant journey.

We recently heard from several employees at Northwestern Mutual’s internal WISE Women’s Summit – attended by over 2,400 employees live and virtually — on how to stay true to yourself, how to take advantage of the people around you who are willing to invest in you, and how to use the resources in front of you to build your career over time. All to ensure you are seen, valued, and heard.

ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS 

Sheila Jackson, Lead Product Manager 

It’s so important to make your presence known. When you’re at the table, ask questions, have conversations with people outside of meetings, set up coffees, let people around you know what your interests are and what your aspirations are. That’s how you build those relationships that are critical to helping you in your career. 

ON ADVOCATING FOR YOURSELF AND CREATING AN ENVIRONMENT YOU CAN THRIVE IN 

Kindle Robison, Assistant Director Systems Engineering 

This was a very hard lesson for me to learn, and I’m still working on it, but you are responsible for actively participating in creating the environment that you need to succeed. You have to be authentic in order to do that. What I mean by that, is when you’re in a meeting and someone talks over you, or someone makes you feel like an “other,” you have to speak up. It’s your responsibility to advocate for yourself and to have those hard conversations. And slowly but surely it becomes a little bit easier, it’s not as uncomfortable, and you’ll have the environment you need to succeed because the stuff that makes you pause, the stuff that makes you feel bad, isn’t going to be there as much anymore.

ON OVERCOMING THE FEAR OF BEING DIFFERENT 

Monali Mardikar, Assistant Director Software Engineering 

I was born and brought up in India. And when I was a 7th grader, I encountered computers for the first time. I was so fascinated by them, that then and there I decided I wanted a career in computers. But when I was starting out I was the only girl. Then later, after moving to London and then United States after that, I still remained different. I was from India, I was a different color, a different ethnicity, a woman. And coming to work was frightening for me. But I had a leader who recognized I wasn’t being myself, that I was afraid, and he told me “you’re doing well, you can’t doubt yourself.” And having that mentor gave me the courage to keep going and overcome that fear. I knew I was there for a reason and the relationships I built around me at work helped me find courage. 

ON FINDING UNEXPECTED ALLIES AND MENTORS 

Jessica Janz-McKnight, Standards & Governance Senior Specialist 

In my first “real job” I worked in a white, male-dominated industry, and at the time I was the youngest, and only black female research analyst. I often found myself in spaces where people didn’t think I had a lot of credibility. I felt like my coworkers were wondering what could I bring to the table, and what could I do for them that they didn’t already know how to do. So I took advantage of mentorship opportunities. I was paired with the longest-serving research analyst at the organization. He was brilliant, he knew everything about everything, and he knew that he had indispensable skills. What he taught me was the importance of having a skill that nobody can take from you and nobody can replicate. You can find allies in unexpected places. Take as much as you can in those moments until you’re the expert. I no longer feel like an “other,” I feel like I have something unique to bring. 

ON ASKING FOR HELP AND ADVOCATING FOR YOURSELF 

Margaret Lusiba, Senior Director Investment Operations 

I was working in Investment Operations when my young son was in daycare, and it was really difficult for me. Kids get sick, kids need you, and I couldn’t be available for him and for my job 8 hours out of the day. I spoke to my boss – you have to have a good relationship with your leader – and I said “why can’t you give me the option to work from home?” This was before Covid, so obviously he said no to that. But then I suggested taking a computer home for short stints while I was picking up my son, or when he was sick. And because I could demonstrate that my quality of work wasn’t suffering, this option worked out for everybody. You have to be bold, step up and ask for help. 

Learn more about our culture of belonging.

Originally published by Walgreens Boots Alliance

Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy combines existing specialty assets, fully integrates AllianceRx and represents the company’s latest step to leverage its neighborhood pharmacies into fast-growing areas of healthcare

Investments include new Gene & Cell Services Pharmacy and Innovation Center

DEERFIELD, Ill., May 10, 2024 /3BL/ – Walgreens is expanding its specialty pharmacy services and investing in its capabilities as the company further grows its core pharmacy business to improve patient outcomes and provide greater value to payers and partners. The company today introduced Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy, a holistic offering that expands access to care for patients with complex, chronic conditions and enables partnerships that drive profitability for Walgreens’ pharmacy business. The company is also making investments that will transform its specialty pharmacy offerings, including gene and cell therapy services.

Under the new business, Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy has an unmatched offering and is the only specialty pharmacy in the market with the following services and assets at scale:

Gene and Cell Services Pharmacy and Innovation Center – a dedicated 18,000-square-foot center in Pittsburgh, PA, with services and capabilities for these emerging therapies, including innovative solutions for managing the complexity of the supply chain, logistics and financing as well as clinical and social needs management to ensure success for patients and partners.Four central specialty pharmacies – each holding several national pharmacy accreditations – where pharmacists and care teams across the country work together to dispense highly complex medications and help patients manage chronic or rare diseases and conditions. These pharmacies hold distinctions in oncology and rare/orphan conditions and offer patients and caregivers clinical services that drive engagement, adherence and outcomes.Nearly 300 community-based specialty pharmacies across the nation – more than any other pharmacy. These specialty pharmacies are strategically located near medical office buildings and health systems, closely aligning care provision with local physicians, offering patients access to specialty medications faster than the industry average, as well as services like injection training, medication side-effect management and financial assistance coordination for medications.More than 1,500 specialty-trained pharmacists, 5,000 patient advocacy support team members and dedicated Specialty360 teams that support all specialty condition and therapies.A growing roster of 240 limited distribution drugs, including 40 narrow networks and 12 exclusive limited distribution drugs.

Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy is focused on breaking through healthcare system silos, bringing convenient access to hard-to-find medications and critical adherence support. Building upon the deep, trusted relationships Walgreens pharmacists have with providers and communities, the model enables more comprehensive care to ultimately help payers better manage specialty costs.

Accelerating Walgreens growth in one of the fastest-growing market segments

Specialty medications today account for more than 50% of prescription drug spend in the U.S.[1] due to the increasing prevalence of chronic disease. There is a need for disease management solutions that are treated by specialty drugs. To advance solutions, Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy enables patient access to specialized treatments through a newly formed integrated care model, driving cost savings and efficiencies in care by uniting the company’s pharmacy teams and distribution network across providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers, health plans and payers.

“With approximately $24 billion in annual enterprise specialty revenue, Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy is the largest independent provider that offers the industry’s most robust specialty capabilities not vertically aligned with a pharmacy benefit manager,” said Rick Gates, chief pharmacy officer, Walgreens. “We have the flexibility to contract dynamically with any payer. We can partner directly with pharmaceutical manufacturers to facilitate products to market, including limited distribution drugs, and coordinate closely with providers to ensure patients experience a smooth start to treatment.”

Walgreens is building on its decades of experience serving the specialty pharmacy needs of commercial, Medicaid, Medicare, and other government and private payers. The company provides services or access to nearly all pharmacy benefit managers and major health plans— as well as alternative payment and service models that help health plans and PBMs differentiate themselves for their clients and members.

Delivering an integrated care model to patients who need it most

Effective August 1, 2024, AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy will become Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy. Patients of AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy and Walgreens community-based specialty pharmacies now have access to resources that will build upon the expert care they already receive from their specialty pharmacist, including clinicians with key disease state expertise, nutritionists and care nurses. Specialty patients can also view their entire prescription profile at Walgreens, including their retail prescriptions.

“When a patient must confront a life-changing, serious health challenge and begins therapy for a chronic or complex condition, our pharmacists are right there to guide and care for them throughout their healthcare journey —from helping them order and take their medication to identifying financial assistance opportunities and working with their doctor and insurance plan to make sure they’re receiving the most coordinated care,” Gates said.

In addition, Walgreens has seen consistent growth through its wholly owned subsidiary Shields Health Solutions, the nation’s premier health system-owned specialty pharmacy accelerator. Shields specialty model provides integrated care solutions for local health systems and specialty pharmacy patients, working with over 1,000 hospitals across 45 states. The Shields business will continue supporting health systems specialty pharmacies, which complement Walgreens newly enhanced specialty pharmacy offerings.

The launch of Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy is the company’s latest initiative aimed at expanding the role its pharmacy teams play in patients’ lives and bringing their clinical expertise to help payers, providers, pharmaceutical manufacturers and partners deliver critical healthcare. It also further supports Walgreens’ efforts to achieve provider status for its pharmacists given their influence and integral role in healthcare delivery.

[1] IQVIA. Global Use of Medicines 2023. https://www.iqvia.com/insights/the-iqvia-institute/reports-and-publications/reports/the-global-use-of-medicines-2023

About Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy

Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy holds several national pharmacy accreditations and services are offered to nearly 300 million covered lives across the country. At Walgreens, the term “specialty” covers services and medications for patients with rare, complex and chronic diseases like cancer, cystic fibrosis and Crohn’s disease, who often require additional support from their healthcare providers. Walgreens specialty pharmacists have additional training to better understand these specialty medications which have unique storage, temperature, and handling requirements; are given by infusion, injection or taken orally; and require close patient monitoring and ongoing clinical support. They also help patients find affordable access to high-cost medications, help with adherence barriers and support patients throughout their treatment.

About Walgreens

Walgreens (www.walgreens.com) is included in the U.S. Retail Pharmacy and U.S. Healthcare segments of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), an integrated healthcare, pharmacy and retail leader. True to its purpose of “more joyful lives through better health,” Walgreens has a more than 120-year heritage of caring for communities and providing trusted pharmacy services, and today is playing a greater role as an independent partner of choice offering healthcare services that improve care, lower costs, and help patients. Operating nearly 9,000 retail locations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Walgreens is proud to serve nearly 9 million customers and patients daily. The company’s pharmacists are playing a more critical role in healthcare than ever before, providing a wide range of pharmacy and healthcare services, including those that drive equitable access to care for some of the nation’s most underserved populations. Walgreens offers customers and patients a true omnichannel experience, with fully integrated physical and digital platforms designed to deliver high-quality products and healthcare services. Within the U.S. Healthcare segment, Walgreens portfolio also includes businesses in primary care, multi-specialty, post-acute care, urgent care, specialty pharmacy services, population health and provider enablement.

View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240424326589/en/

Media Contact

Erin Loverher 
media@walgreens.com

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