The Bi-Mart executive team, on behalf of its employee-owners and Walgreens, announced Thursday, Sept. 30, that Walgreens will acquire Bi-Mart’s pharmacy business, which includes pharmacy patient prescription files and related pharmacy inventory of 56 Bi-Mart pharmacies in Oregon, Idaho and Washington.
Efforts to reach Don Leber, Bi-Mart’s vice president of advertising and marketing, to confirm reports that Sweet Home’s Bi-Mart pharmacy would be closed, were unsuccessful.
Bi-Mart’s retail stores will remain open, the company said in a statement.
Prescription files from most Bi-Mart pharmacies will transfer to nearby Walgreens locations. In areas where Walgreens does not have nearby stores, the company will operate pharmacies within existing Bi-Mart locations, primarily in rural areas.
“This decision, while difficult, is strategically important as we move to strengthen our solid financial position and expand our plans for future growth in the Northwest,” Bi-Mart president and CEO Rich Truett said. “Bi-Mart’s core business is healthy and strong; however, over the years factors such as increasing costs and ongoing reimbursement pressure has led in part to our decision.”
“Walgreens is pleased to introduce more patients to our trusted pharmacy services that we currently provide in over 9,000 locations in communities across the country including more than 70 across Oregon,” Walgreens regional vice president Rob Ewing said.
“We look forward to welcoming Bi-Mart patients to Walgreens pharmacy services, as well as providing employment opportunities to Bi-Mart pharmacy associates in available positions throughout our stores where they can continue to meet the needs of patients.”
Subject to customary closing conditions, the companies expect prescription-file transfers to begin this month for completion by January 2022.
Bi-Mart pharmacists and pharmacy staff will have an opportunity to apply for available Walgreens positions.
Patients whose prescriptions are being transferred will be notified by mail, and both companies will help ensure a smooth transition. Once prescriptions are transferred, patients will have access to Walgreens pharmacy services across a network of more than 9,000 pharmacies nationwide.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
For additional information, Bi-Mart members may visit http://www.bimart.com/rxchange.