Interview with Greg Orr (Part 1)

Greg Orr
Director, Consumer Digital Health
Walgreens
Listen to Interview (Part 1)

Transcription of the Greg Orr Interview (Part 1). Any questions please contact Jason.youner@worldcongress.com.

Jason Youner:  This is Jason Youner with World Congress and the mPharma Times. I’m here with Greg Orr. Greg, would you like to introduce yourself and provide a little background please?

Greg Orr: Sure, absolutely. My name is Greg Orr. I’m currently the Director for Consumer Digital Health here at Walgreens. My background, I’ve been at Walgreens for close to a year now and my background has really been selling consumer health products and engagement products that build health plans, health systems, and employers really as a means of, how do we reach out to the general consumer whether the member, or patient, or employee. I’ve been trying to get them to, you know, kind of do the right things for their health. So, it’s always been around that engagement. And I’m thrilled to be here, you know, with what we’re doing. Just similar type role here at Walgreens as we have such a closer connection with the customers and consumers but it’s really been a great year and it’s going to continue to be–to expand. So I’m very happy to talk to you, Jason.

Jason Youner:  Thank you. I’m really glad you can join us. What kind of mobile projects are you working on at Walgreens?

Greg Orr: Several things in the works. You’re probably familiar on the mobile app, our refill by scan technology that came out somewhat recently. And basically, everything we do, mobile and, you know, in digital and even in the store itself, it’s all about convenience. We literally found true proofs that we’re going to be publishing very soon around–you know, around something that everybody knows is pretty logical. If you make something very, very easy to do, people are more likely to do it.

So if you look at email reminders, or text reminders, or even our refill by scan, we’re seeing tremendous increase in adherence just by making things very, very convenient for people to do. And as we move forward, a big portion of our focus will be around really expanding what’s called our Balance Rewards for Healthy Choices Program. We announced it about three weeks ago, a very close and deep partnership with WebMD. And so the crux of that partnership is really around leveraging their Digital Health Assistant which they have been selling for probably the last 12 to 14 years to health plan to employers as a means of getting consumers engaged and really driving outcomes amongst those consumers.

So this will be the first time that Digital Health Assistant has been offered to the general consumer. It’s usually sold through a health plan or an employer. And we’re in the process now of expanding our Balance Rewards for Healthy Choices Program into a true evidence-based program that’s based upon that partnership with WebMD.

Jason Youner:  My next question will bring in some of what you just talked about- What is Walgreens overall mobile strategy?

Greg Orr: The mobile strategy, and I work very closely with the Mobile Division, but the mobile strategy is another channel for us. So that you know, things like our mobile app are another means for us to reach out to folks. Mobile specifically, and probably the most recent, and you know, we have a lot of exciting things, you’ve probably seen the recent announcement for Apple Pay. So, we’re one of the very first initial groups utilizing Apple Pay.

We recently, about three weeks ago, launched our immunization feature within our app. That app has essentially won the very first recommendation engines.  It’s not only kind of keeping track of any immunizations you’ve had like flu shots, TDAP, and things of that nature, but you can manage your entire family’s immunization within the app, and it actually recommends, based on PBC guidelines, immunization that you should get and helps you keep track of those things.

So again, I mean, our overall strategy is, how do we help people you know, stay and live well. And the mobile channel is a tremendous asset for us to reach folks and mostly because of its convenience.

Jason Youner: That was part one of the interview. Part two will be posted shortly here on mPharma Times.