Walgreens will shutter nearly 40% of the clinics
in its stores as the drugstore chain cuts costs and
shifts to other businesses it believes will draw
more people through its doors.
The company said this week that it will close 150
Walgreens-run clinics by the end of the year, but
it will keep open more than 200 that are run in
partnership with health care providers.
Drugstore chains like Walgreens started years
ago adding small clinics that dole out flu shots
and handle relatively minor health issues like
sinus infections. But analysts say the chains have
struggled to make money off the clinics, which
face growing competition from telemedicine
services that allow customers to get care
through their smartphones.