Partnership aims to provide care that is more personal, affordable and accessible
Elly Yates-Roberts |
Microsoft has joined forces with Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA), a global pharmacy-led, health and wellbeing enterprise, to transform healthcare delivery by making it more personal, affordable and accessible.
The alliance will benefit from Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform, healthcare investments and retail solutions, as well as WBA’s locations, outpatient healthcare services and industry expertise.
“Improving health outcomes while lowering the cost of care is a complex challenge that requires broad collaboration and strong partnership between the healthcare and tech industries,” said Satya Nadella, chief executive officer at Microsoft.
“Together with Walgreens Boots Alliance, we aim to deliver on this promise by putting people at the centre of their health and wellness, combining the power of the Azure cloud and AI technology and Microsoft 365 with Walgreens Boots Alliance’s deep expertise and commitment to helping communities around the world lead healthier and happier lives.”
According to a Microsoft press release, the partnership aims to connect people with WBA stores through their digital devices, providing to access services, wherever and whenever they need them. In order to personalise the service WBA will pursue lifestyle management solutions, for example in nutrition and wellness through digital devices, applications or in-store expert advice.
As a result of the seven-year agreement, WBA plans on migrating the majority of its IT infrastructure to Microsoft Azure. Additional plans include the rollout of Microsoft 365 to over 380,000 employees and stores, to increase productivity and advance security, collaboration and customer engagement.
“Our strategic partnership with Microsoft demonstrates our strong commitment to creating integrated, next-generation, digitally enabled healthcare delivery solutions for our customers, transforming our stores into modern neighbourhood health destinations and expanding customer offerings,” said Stefano Pessina, executive vice chairman and chief executive officer of WBA.
“WBA will work with Microsoft to harness the information that exists between payors and health care providers to leverage, in the interest of patients and with their consent, our extraordinary network of accessible and convenient locations to deliver new innovations, greater value and better health outcomes in health care systems across the world.”