Patient Management: When “Fine” Is Not Fine

By:Renee Baiano, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

A specialty pharmacist’s typical conversation with a patient goes a little something like this – the specialty pharmacist or patient care advocate asks the patient how they are doing. The...

Key Takeaways: The Crohn’s Disease Patient Journey

Understanding what a patient with Crohn’s disease goes through when diagnosed and managing his or her disease was the focus of a panel discussing at the 2023 PBMI Annual National Conference held...

Medication Transition Team Helps Patients Stay Adherent

By:Amit Patel, Medication transition manager

Medication transitions are changes in patient’s medication regimen, whether adding to, discontinuing, or modifying a current regimen. At AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, these transitions may take...

Promoting Health Through Food & Nutrition

By:Corina Miles, RDN, LD, dietitian program manager

AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy continues to be a leader in the specialty pharmacy industry, now offering nutrition guidance to patients in its mission...

Maintaining the Patient Experience and Continuity of Care

By:Robin George, Director, Health Systems Solutions

The healthcare industry continues to evolve. We see this evolution range from technology advancements and self-serve digital platforms to competing payer coverages and vast access to both acute and maintenance...

How Our Nurses Make a Difference

May is National Nurses Month, a time to honor our nurses who help make better tomorrows possible for our patients. This year, the American Nursing Association selected the theme, Nurses Make a Difference, to honor the varying roles of nurses and their positive impact on...

Improving Health Among the AAPI Population

By:James Zhang, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) are the fastest growing group among all racial and ethnic groups across the country, growing by 35.2% since...

Specialty Pharmacists Can Help Patients Battling Depression Amid Chronic Disease

By:Renee Baiano, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

It’s no surprise depression is one of the most common complications of chronic illness. In fact, it’s estimated approximately one-third of individuals with a diagnosed chronic condition have symptoms of depression...

AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy Recognizes Patient Experience Week

By:Bhumi Prajapati, Vice president, patient support center

I was 7 months pregnant with my third child, running through the airport to catch a flight home for bedtime. At the same time, I was trying to order my mother-in-law’s specialty oncology prescription...

The Fertility Order Review (FOR) Team: Offering Education and Support for Fertility Patients

By:Nancy Harrington, RNC-REIN

Approximately 10% of women (6.1 million) aged 15-44 years in the U.S. have difficulty getting pregnant or staying pregnant each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention...

How Specialty Pharmacists Help Patients Manage Chronic Disease

By:Nichol Marrero Nieves, PharmD, BCMTMS, CSP, Pharmacist, Patient Management Services

Chronic disease comes in many forms, from autoimmune conditions such as arthritis to rare cancers like multiple myeloma. At AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, our specialty pharmacists work hand-in-hand...

How AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy Provides Cost Savings to Payers

By:Bill Trombatt, PharmD, CSP

Specialty medication are products that treat chronic, complex, or rare diseases and have some of the following characteristics: cost of ≥$6,000/year, require special handling or administration,...

Women’s History Month: Celebrating Women Leaders Like Kathryn Broze

Women’s History Month, held during March since 1981, reflects on the often-overlooked contributions of women to U.S. history. From Abigail Adams to Susan B. Anthony, Sojourner Truth to Rosa Parks, the timeline of women’s history milestones stretches back to the founding of the...

Rare Disease Day: Supporting Cystic Fibrosis Caregivers

According to the National Institutes of Health, about 7,000 rare diseases collectively affect 25–30 million Americans. Many rare diseases are genetic, as in the case of cystic fibrosis...

Our Commitment to Patient Satisfaction

By:Sean Johnson, senior director, payer services

AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy is deeply committed to providing excellent patient experiences. We continually measure our performance in several key areas to help ensure we are supporting our patients’...

Promoting the Pharmacy Profession within Historically Black Colleges and Universities

By:Tuck Tucker, chief human resources officer

At AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, one of our diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives (DE&I) is to build relationships with historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs)....

Closing the Gap for Black Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

By:Desirea Irvin, PharmD, Staff Pharmacist Lead, Patient Management Services

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that affects the central nervous system. MS causes damage to the protective layer of the nerves called the myelin sheath....

Easy Refill Reminders Allow Patients, Caregivers More Control

EZ Fill, a new feature from AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, lets patients and caregivers take the task of refilling prescriptions into their own...

Understanding Medication Adherence and Why It’s Important

By:John Koshan, RPh, Clinical Implementation Manager, Specialty Clinical Services

Adherence to medications occurs when patients take their medicine as prescribed. To achieve the full benefit of their therapy, patients must follow prescribed treatment regimens reasonably closely....

How We Keep Patient Data Safe

By:Carl Collin, vice president, technology and systems

A recent international survey revealed that internet users’ trust in the internet has dropped significantly since 2019. Only six in 10 (63%) Internet users on average across 20 countries – including the U.S. – surveyed said they trust the internet....

Brand vs. Generic Drugs: What’s the Difference?

By:​Wale Alayoku, PharmD, CPh

One common question patients ask pharmacists is to explain the difference between brand and generic medications. Many brand-name drugs often have generic versions. In most cases, generics cost...

How Accreditations Benefit Patients and Partners

By:Jodi Sibell, RN, director of accreditation and document management

Accreditation is a method by which an organization uses third party reviewers to audit its operational processes to ensure they are delivering healthcare in a manner consistent with an established set of standards....

Supporting Patients During the Holiday Season: Traveling with Medications

By:Renee Baiano, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

During the holiday season, many people have a lot more on their minds than usual. There are holiday events, gift wish lists for friends and loved ones, and decorations to think about....

Planning for 2023: Steps to Ensure a Smooth Transition Into The New Benefit Year

By:Kathleen Kokoski, RPh, CSP, Director, Pharma Operations

Did you know adults find managing their prescriptions almost as hard as doing their taxes? According to a 2018 survey conducted by AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, frustration in understanding what prescriptions an insurance benefit will cover is similar to other complicated tasks such as doing taxes...

Putting a Face to the Disease: Joe Valetti, Crohn’s Disease

By:Renee Baiano, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

Patients with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis can, and do, lead happy and productive lives. However, when these diseases are active, they can significantly impact the quality of life for patients due to flare-ups and complications....

Specialty Pharmacy Residents Receive On-The-Job Training

By:Rick Miller, BSPharm, MSPharm, MBA, CSP; Vice President, Clinical and Professional Services

Specialty pharmacy has experienced tremendous growth in recent years. Specifically, the number of specialty pharmacies grew 315% — from 378 in 2015 to 1,570 in 2021...

Five Roles of the Specialty Pharmacist

By:James Zhang, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

Specialty pharmacists play a large role in helping patients manage their complex or rare diseases. Whether reaching out to a patient who consistently refills late, taking extra time to review disease guidelines, or helping a patient find copay assistance...

Understanding the Importance of Compliance & Ethics

By:Richard Rago, PharmD, Director of Healthcare Compliance

Compliance and Ethics Week, celebrated worldwide November 6-12, 2022, shines a spotlight on the importance of compliance and ethics for organizations across the globe....

Living Our Purpose Through Challenging Times

By:Tracey James, RPh, Chief Operating Officer

At AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, we talk a lot about our purpose of providing hope and care for better tomorrows. I wanted to share a heartwarming example of our team members living our purpose through challenging...

Key Takeaways: The Multiple Myeloma Journey

By:Bill Trombatt, PharmD, CSP

Understanding what a patient with multiple myeloma goes through when diagnosed and managing his or her disease was the focus of a panel discussing at the 2022 PBMI Annual National Conference held in Orlando...

Four Things to Know About Hurricane Preparedness

By:Tracey James, RPh, Chief Operating Officer

Nearly 80% of Americans say they are not prepared for disasters when it comes to stocking up on water and food.1 This is especially interesting since research shows six in 10 Americans believe they’ll be impacted by a natural disaster...

Caring for Our Spanish-Speaking Patients

Latino patients are no strangers to experiencing communication challenges in healthcare settings. Just under half (46%) Hispanic adults in the U.S. say they have a close friend or family member who needs a Spanish-speaking healthcare provider...

Putting a Face to the Disease: Meet Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation Ambassador Melissa King

Every September, the pulmonary fibrosis (PF) community comes together for PF Awareness Month, sponsored by the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF). Melissa King, a PFF Ambassador from Buffalo, NY, has participated in PF Awareness Month since 2017....

Specialty Pharmacy with a Highly Distributed Workforce

By:Lisa Mymo, Vice President, Pharma & Financial Services

Remote work is a hot topic these days and, by all accounts, will keep increasing into the next decade. Thanks to the global COVID-19 pandemic, 61.9% of the companies are planning more remote work now and in the following years to come....

The Importance of Transparency within 340B

By:ShaiAnn Howard, Director, Health Systems Solutions & Decision Science

Data access is an essential element of operating an effective and compliant 340B program. At last month’s 340B Coalition 2022 Summer Conference, ShaiAnn Howard discussed how asking the right questions of vendors and key stakeholders supports serving patients with life-changing specialty...

AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy: A Payer’s Best Specialty Pharmacy Partner

By:Michele Pence, Senior Director, Payer Services

At AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, we understand our payer partners are interested in having the best possible outcomes for their members, with an eye...

Five Ways AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy Supports Patients with Psoriasis

By:Renee Baiano, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

Imagine having an incurable illness that causes uncomfortable symptoms, sometimes leading to anxiety and insomnia. Consider battling the stigma as you...

Maximizing 340B Program Value with Specialty Medication Access

By:Robin George, Director, Health Systems Solutions

At AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, each covered entity we meet with describes circumstances unique to its hospital, patients, and pharmacy arrangements....

We Are Now AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy

By:Joel Wright, Chief Executive Officer, AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy

In June we changed our name to AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy due to our change in ownership. We are now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Walgreens Boots Alliance....

June Is Pride Month

By:Daniel Fuller, Senior Copywriter and LGBTQ+ Ally

Commemorating the Stonewall Riots   Each June, the LGBTQ+ community (and allies) commemorate the Stonewall Riots (1969) with a wide range of celebrations...

Asembia 2022: Identifying and Addressing Social Determinants of Health

By:Karyn Lee, M.S., Marketing Director

  It’s in all our best interests to address health equity and help improve health outcomes for all patients, regardless of who they are and...

Putting Faces to the Disease: An Interview with Three Cystic Fibrosis Patients

By:Nishita Hira, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

Every May, the cystic fibrosis (CF) community comes together for CF Awareness Month. The resilience CF patients demonstrate in the face of their...

How Our Nurses Make a Difference

May is National Nurses Month, a time to honor our nurses who help make better tomorrows possible for our patients. This year, the American Nursing Association...

Spotlight on Asian American and Pacific Islander Month: Understanding Kawasaki Disease

By:Bill Trombatt, PharmD, CSP

  Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month celebrates the many contributions made by those of Asian and Pacific Islander descent...

Five Things to Know About Patient Experience at AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy

By:Elias Zapantis, PharmD, MBA, MSP Vice President, Specialty360

Patient Experience Week – April 25-29, 2022 – is an annual event to celebrate healthcare staff, including specialty pharmacists, nurses,...

Supporting Infertility Patients During National Infertility Awareness Week

By:Ann Scalia, BSN, RN, CNOR, Director of Clinical Education

  Dealing with infertility might feel disheartening to patients, especially at first. But understanding their diagnosis can help patients take control...

National Minority Health Month: Steps Minorities Can Take Against COVID-19

By:Cindy Moore, RPh, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

April 2022 marks the annual observance of National Minority Health Month which is designed to spotlight the importance of improving health in racial...

Connecting Patients with Financial Assistance

By:Lisa Mymo, Vice President, Pharma & Financial Services

While therapies for patients with chronic conditions have evolved greatly, they have done so at a price. Because of the complex and often rare conditions...

MS Awareness Month: Four Things to Know about Living with MS

By:Kathleen Love, RN, Clinical Program Manager

Learning how to manage multiple sclerosis (MS) might feel like a challenge, especially at first. There is no cure for MS. But with multiple treatment...

Understanding the Latest on COVID-19 Vaccinations in Children

By:Cindy Moore, RPh, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

Well into our second year of the global pandemic, we are all constantly receiving updates on who, when and how often to vaccinate against COVID-19....

Today is Rare Disease Day: Global Genes’ Lauren Alford Discusses Rare Diseases

By:Lauren Alford, Global Genes, Sr. Director of Marketing & Communications

A rare disease is a condition which affects fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. They are also known as "orphan diseases" because pharmaceutical...

Ways Black Americans Can Improve Their Health

February is Black History Month. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) say the leading causes of death for African Americans are heart disease,...

Putting a Face to the Disease: Tami Seretti, Psoriasis & Psoriatic Arthritis

By:Renee Baiano, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

  Patients experience all kinds of emotions when diagnosed with psoriasis. These feelings only evolve as patients learn to manage their new lifestyle,...

A Candid Look at Today’s 340B

Robin George,  CPHT Manager, Health Systems Platform Innovation   Robin George is manager of health systems platform innovation at AllianceRx...

Ensuring the Security of Our Patients’ Data

By:Jim Adams, Chief Information Officer

Protecting patient and other sensitive information is essential to any health organization. AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy is no different. We take very...

How Payers Benefit from Our Limited Distribution Drug Expertise

By Ana M. Cavanaugh, RPh, MBA Senior Director, National Payer Sales and Account Management, Pharmacy Services As one of the nation’s largest specialty and home delivery pharmacies, AllianceRx...

The Importance of Accreditation

Accreditation is an important designation for any health care organization to achieve. It is also the culmination of a rigorous process of audits and reviews...

Our Top Five Most Read Stories of 2021

The launch of AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy’s corporate blog in early 2021 gave us a platform to discuss topics of importance to the specialty pharmacy...

Better Tomorrows Start with the Whole Patient Today

By:Stacy Ward-Charlerie, PharmD, MBA, Director, Product Development

How AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy Addresses Social Determinants of Health   Earlier this month, Lisa Mymo, vice president, pharma and financial...

Planning for the New Year: Top Tips for Hassle-Free Refills

It’s time to start planning for the new year. Nearly half of all adults take steps to manage their prescription benefit before the new year, according...

Key Takeaways: A Cystic Fibrosis Patient’s Journey

Understanding what a patient with cystic fibrosis (CF) goes through as part of managing his or her disease was the focus of a panel discussion at the 2021...

Caring for Patients: Five Roles of the Specialty Pharmacist

By:Rachel Anderson, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

  At AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, everything we do starts with the well-being of our patients. For those starting a specialty medication for...

Honoring Caregivers during National Family Caregivers Month

Throughout November, we recognize National Family Caregivers Month. As defined by Caregiver.org, a family caregiver is “any relative, partner, friend...

Asembia 2021: The Future of Specialty Patient Care

During a recent presentation at Asembia’s Specialty Pharmacy Summit, Chief Operating Officer, Clayton Edwards, and Chief Information Officer, Jim...

Why Compliance and Ethics Are Important to Our Success

By:Dan Tardiff, Chief Legal Counsel and Corporate Secretary

Today marks the beginning of Compliance and Ethics Week, a worldwide celebration of awareness, recognition and reinforcement held Nov. 7-13. A strong,...

Depression and Chronic Conditions

By:Renee Baiano, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

  When first diagnosed with a chronic condition, patients often feel overwhelmed with new challenges. These might include numerous medical appointments...

The Art of Collaboration: How Specialty Pharmacists Serve Payers, Prescribers and Pharma

By:Rachel Anderson, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

Specialty pharmacies like AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy not only serve patients. Our customers also include payers, prescribers and pharmaceutical manufacturers....

Specialty Pharmacy vs. Retail Pharmacy: What’s the Difference?

By:Rachel Anderson, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

To understand the difference between specialty and retail pharmacies, it’s important to first understand the difference between specialty and...

Four Reasons To Celebrate AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy Pharmacists and Pharmacy Techs

At AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, we are excited to celebrate American Pharmacists Month in October and Pharmacy Technician Day, Tuesday, Oct 19. Our pharmacists and...

Connecting with Our Spanish-Speaking Patients

We all know how complicated healthcare issues can be. Now imagine language or cultural barriers further muddying the waters. For Spanish speakers, these...

Driving Insights in the Age of Big Data

By:Camilo Mitchum, Sr. Product Manager, Analytics

In the modern age of business, the word data is ubiquitous. Businesses have largely succeeded in defining strategies to store and retain data, but understanding...

Putting A Face to the Disease: Interview with a Rheumatoid Arthritis Patient

By:Renee Baiano, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

When diagnosed with a chronic condition, patients experience all kinds of emotions. These feelings only evolve as patients learn to manage their new...

The Importance of Innovation in Specialty Pharmacy

By:Stacy Ward-Charlerie, PharmD, MBA, Director, Product Development

I believe the recipe for success in healthcare innovation includes a list of problems, lots of empathy and a willing organization. AllianceRx Walgreens...

Vectors: The Cornerstone of Gene Therapies

By:Marcie Morris, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

When a patient has a genetic disease, it means there is a spontaneous or inherited mutation (change) in a person’s DNA. These mutations result...

Preparing for Hurricanes & Disasters: Taking Your Rx During an Emergency

Order Your Medication Supply Online   Nearly 80% of Americans said they aren’t prepared for disasters when it comes to stocking up on water and...

Four Unique Considerations of Gene and Cell Therapies

By:Bill Trombatt, PharmD, CSP

  There are thousands of diseases with very few or no treatment options. Gene and cell therapies continue to be developed as a long-term treatment...

Using Technology to Engage Vulnerable Health Populations

By:Stacy Ward-Charlerie, PharmD, MBA, Director, Product Development

  Could you win a game just sitting on the bench? Perhaps, but only with an awesome team and coach. Could you achieve victories repeatedly, win...

The Cost to Cure Genetic Disorders

By:Tracey James, RPh, Chief Operating Officer

  Advances in the gene and cell therapy markets have opened doors to alleviate much suffering caused by genetic disorders. The potential for treatment...

What’s Next in Hemophilia Treatment: Gene Therapy

By:Adrienne Brennan, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

  Hemophilia is a genetic bleeding disorder which reduces the blood’s ability to clot properly, leading to...

Built For the Future of Pharmacy

By:Joel Wright, Chief Executive Officer, AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy

  What were your “silver linings” amidst the pandemic?  As a specialty pharmacy on which thousands patients...

Rx Questions? Just Ask Your Pharmacist

Valuable Healthcare Resource is Ready to Help   Nearly two-thirds of patients agree individual pharmacists influence what pharmacy they choose to...

Understanding the Gene and Cell Ecosystem

By:Tracey James, RPh, Chief Operating Officer

  At AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, we believe a successful patient gene and cell treatment journey begins with the outcomes in mind: Providing...

Preparing for Hurricane Season

By:Clayton Edwards, Chief Operating Officer

  The 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season is upon us and expected to be more active than normal, according to weather.com....

Newly published research shows cystic fibrosis patients stay on therapy, thanks to AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy

Newly published research in the Journal of Drug Assessment shows cystic fibrosis (CF) patients stay on therapy, thanks to support programs in place at...

National Nurses Month: How Pharmacy Nurses Care for Patients with Rare Diseases

May is Nurses Month, a time to honor our nurses who help make better tomorrows possible for our patients. As clinical caregivers, our more than 50 nurses...

The Role of the Specialty Pharmacist in Treating Cystic Fibrosis

By:Nishita Hira, PharmD, CSP, Clinical Program Manager

Specialty pharmacists can positively impact adherence and quality of life for CF patients.     What once was considered a disease destined...

Specialty360 Therapy Teams: Combining Clinical Expertise and High-Touch Service

By:Clayton Edwards, Chief Operating Officer

At AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, our Specialty360 Therapy Teams are dedicated pharmacy teams that support specific conditions and therapies, and provide...

Five Ways We Care

How We Support Cystic Fibrosis Caregivers  More than 75% of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients are diagnosed by...

Four Things To Know About Limited Distribution Drugs

Why Manufacturers Choose AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy As Their Limited Distribution Partner  Part of being diagnosed with a rare disease or chronic condition is understanding that sometimes the...

The Importance of Identifying Social Determinants of Health Opportunities Among Patients with Rare Diseases

By:Rick Miller, BSPharm, MSPharm, MBA, CSP; Vice President, Clinical and Professional Services

New Pilot With Highmark Focuses On Members With Multiple Sclerosis   Over the past several months, team members at AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy...

Understanding Treatment Options Available for Patients Dealing with Infertility

By:Nancy Harrington, RNC-REIN

AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy’s Programs, Resources and Dedicated Team Members Support Couples Striving for Parenthood During National Infertility Awareness Week, it’s important to understand...

Raising the Curtain on our New Blog!

By:Joel Wright, Chief Executive Officer, AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy

Welcome to our new blog! This is where you will find the latest news and information about AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy. From research findings we are...

Six Things to Know About AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy

Get to know one of the largest specialty and home delivery pharmacies in the US  Not all specialty pharmacies are created equally. Founded in 2017,...

Making Our Patients’ Lives Easier With Innovative Digital Tools

New digital tools mean patients choose how they share important information At AllianceRx Walgreens Pharmacy, we know managing a chronic condition or...

Recognizing Rare Disease Day

Understanding the 6,000-Plus Rare Diseases That Affect a Small Percentage of Our Population  Rare Disease Day, celebrated Feb 28, recognizes the...