Walgreens and VillageMD Adding 5 Jax Area Full-Service PCPs

Walgreens Boots Alliance and VillageMD plan to open five Jacksonville-area Village Medical at Walgreens coordinated primary care practices by the end of the summer, making it the third major city in the Sunshine State to be home to the facilities, according to a Wednesday (Feb. 16) press release.

The first Village Medical at Walgreens practice in the Jacksonville area opened Tuesday (Feb. 15) at 105 Julington Plaza Drive, the announcement says.

“At Village Medical at Walgreens, we are simplifying healthcare for our patients by combining the primary care and pharmacy experience,” said Lynn Cosentino, M.D., a local Village Medical physician, in the joint announcement.

“Jacksonville residents, and particularly patients with chronic health conditions, will benefit from the collaboration between the primary care and pharmacy teams, which offers comprehensive care and ongoing support,” she said.

The Jacksonville-area Village Medical at Walgreens primary care practices will feature more than 3,000 square feet of space for primary care services and create more than 295 full-time jobs, including 100 STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) professionals, such as physicians, nurse practitioners and medical assistants.

The Village Medical model empowers patients to get care for chronic health conditions, preventive services and treatment for everyday illnesses and injuries, the press release says. Physicians and pharmacists fill prescriptions immediately following medical visits, often at the same location.

“Consumers are looking for an affordable, convenient and safe healthcare experience,” said Joel Slocum, director of pharmacy and retail operations at Walgreens, in the joint announcement. “By combining the expertise of the primary care and pharmacy teams and localizing healthcare, we can help improve the health and well-being of our communities.”

Walgreens and VillageMD have opened more than 80 Village Medical at Walgreens primary care practices in 12 markets across Arizona, Florida, Texas, Kentucky and Indiana and are scheduled to add more than 200 practices by the end of 2022.

Related: Walgreens and VillageMD Adding 20 Florida Village Medical Locations

In November, the companies announced plans 20 Village Medical at Walgreens locations in the Tampa, following the opening of 10 facilities in the Orlando last year.

Walgreens and VillageMD are slated to open about 1,000 primary care practices by 2027.