The combined organization will have more than 680 provider locations in 26 markets. With CVS Health and Amazon both making major acquisitions, the Summit Health deal was both offensive and defensive for Walgreens, one expert said.
Walgreens Boots Alliance recently announced it will acquire its remaining 45% stake in home care company CareCentrix for $392 million. The news follows CVS Health's plans to acquire Signify Health. While retailers could prove beneficial to home health, it's too early to tell, experts said.
CVS Health reportedly beat out other big names, including Amazon and UnitedHealth Group. Signify Health has a network of more than 10,000 clinicians in all 50 states and a nationwide value-based provider network.
The need for mental health services continues to strain the ability of the healthcare system to respond. New technologies are helping to improve patient access to care, and a panel at the MedCity INVEST conference in Chicago discussed the challenges and opportunities for these services.