Community Pharmacy for Walgreens
From humble beginnings as a local Chicago pharmacy more than a century ago, Walgreens is now the largest drugstore chain in America, with over 7,700 stores in all 50 states and sales of $72 billon. In addition to its in-store pharmacies, Walgreens also offers drive-thru and e-script pharmacy services, operates Take Care immediate care clinics, and administers flu shots and other immunizations. Repositioning itself as a national leader in wellness, Walgreens asked IDEO to help rethink, reframe, and evolve what it means to be a community pharmacy in the 21st century. This pharmacy work would be combined with Walgreens work on new concepts for the non-pharmacy departments of its stores, including new approaches to beauty products, fresh food, integration with online shopping and the entire customer shopping experience.
The IDEO team began assisting Walgreens by conducting an initial series of in-depth interviews and shopalongs with consumers, in which people shared their hopes, fears, and goals regarding their personal health. The team soon discovered that people were looking for simple, engaging, everyday ways to take better care of their health. It also became clear that Walgreens was often thought of as more of a convenience store instead of a place to receive pharmacy, health and wellness advice. As a result, its highly experienced pharmacists were being underleveraged as trained medical professionals.
Working closely with Walgreens’ core team, these insights were translated into two ambitious full-scale prototypes, complete with redesigned interiors and designers role-playing new service roles. Over the course of several months, the IDEO and Walgreens teams walked dozens of consumers through these prototypes to gain feedback and evolve the design. The new “health and daily living” format, which combined IDEO’s pharmacy work with Walgreens new concept for other areas of the store, was launched in 2 pilot locations in Chicago in November 2010—a mere six months after the research project was completed.
The Walgreens health and daily living store seamlessly integrates new roles, digital tools, and spaces to help people live healthier everyday lives. A dedicated Health Guide, armed with an iPad app filled with timely health tips and FAQs, is available to answer customer questions about products and services. A pharmacist desk area in front of the pharmacy brings Walgreens pharmacists out from behind the counter to consult with patients one-on-one, while private or semi-private consultation rooms provide additional space for services such as immunizations, blood pressure readings, and consultations. Other features include an express refill station where patients can pick up prescriptions they pre-ordered and a new Take Care Clinic layout that better connects the clinic with the pharmacy and other health services.
The highly collaborative relationship between IDEO and Walgreens enabled the company to take its health and daily living store from concept to in-market pilot in record time. According to Walgreens executive director of pharmacy and health care experience Nimesh Jhaveri, the innovative format “delivers an experience that reflects our capabilities and commitment to cost- effective health care and better meet the needs of our customers.” As of November 2011, the new store format has been introduced in about 20 stores in Chicago and throughout the Indianapolis market.
Transforming the corner drugstore into a destination for health and daily living
From humble beginnings as a local Chicago pharmacy more than a century ago, Walgreens is now the largest drugstore chain in America, with over 7,700 stores in all 50 states and sales of $72 billon. In addition to its in-store pharmacies, Walgreens also offers drive-thru and e-script pharmacy services, operates Take Care immediate care clinics, and administers flu shots and other immunizations. Repositioning itself as a national leader in wellness, Walgreens asked IDEO to help rethink, reframe, and evolve what it means to be a community pharmacy in the 21st century. This pharmacy work would be combined with Walgreens work on new concepts for the non-pharmacy departments of its stores, including new approaches to beauty products, fresh food, integration with online shopping and the entire customer shopping experience.
The IDEO team began assisting Walgreens by conducting an initial series of in-depth interviews and shopalongs with consumers, in which people shared their hopes, fears, and goals regarding their personal health. The team soon discovered that people were looking for simple, engaging, everyday ways to take better care of their health. It also became clear that Walgreens was often thought of as more of a convenience store instead of a place to receive pharmacy, health and wellness advice. As a result, its highly experienced pharmacists were being underleveraged as trained medical professionals.
Working closely with Walgreens’ core team, these insights were translated into two ambitious full-scale prototypes, complete with redesigned interiors and designers role-playing new service roles. Over the course of several months, the IDEO and Walgreens teams walked dozens of consumers through these prototypes to gain feedback and evolve the design. The new “health and daily living” format, which combined IDEO’s pharmacy work with Walgreens new concept for other areas of the store, was launched in 2 pilot locations in Chicago in November 2010—a mere six months after the research project was completed.
Project date: 2010
Related Projects
Retail Brand & Strategy Service Model
Converse
Helping a footwear legend create an authentic new shopping experience
