Advocate Closing All Clinics Inside IL Walgreens: Spokesperson

DEERFIELD, IL — Advocate Health Care has announced it is closing all 47 of its clinics inside Walgreens pharmacies in Illinois. A spokesperson for the Downers Grove-based company tells Patch the "decision to shift operations" will go into effect next Thursday.

According to Advocate, the clinics at Walgreens are all staffed by one to two medical office assistants, along with additional clinicians who support virtual care operations. The company said it will support employees by working to find them alternative roles within Advocate that best align with their skills and preferences.

Walgreens Boots Alliance, the parent company of Walgreens, confirmed the news with Patch, stating, "We are partnering closely with Advocate to navigate this transition."

Crain's Chicago Business, which first reported the closures Wednesday, said eight Advocate clinics in Walgreens located in Wisconsin are also shuttering.

"This allows us to focus on additional ways patients prefer to access care, when and where they need it, including expanded virtual services that provide care within the comfort of their own home, as well as convenient access to urgent care and primary care locations in the community," Advocate said in its statement.

Last month, Advocate announced it was investing $1 billion to expand access to primary care, specialty care and wellness services on Chicago's South Side. The plan calls for more locations across the South Side, more preventative programs and services, a new, state-of-the-art community hospital and more, according to the company. Neighborhood Care locations will be built in "convenient, familiar settings such as churches and community centers."

The news comes as Walgreens finds itself as a defendant in a civil complaint, filed earlier this month, by the Justice Department. The lawsuit alleges the company violated the Controlled Substances Act by dispensing millions of unlawful prescriptions, including opioids. The lawsuit claims the Walgreens then sought reimbursement for many of these prescriptions from various federal health care programs, which violates the False Claims Act.

Walgreens Boots Alliance, headquartered at 108 Wilmot Road, oversees approximately 8,600 Walgreens and Duane Reade stores in the U.S.

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