By Healthcare Facilities Today

Some Walgreens Healthcare Clinics have received accreditation from the Accreditation Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC).

The accreditation means the clinics recognized meet the AAAHC's best practice requirements, and operate in compliance with nationally recognized standards of care, specifically as it relates to patient safety, according to an AAAHC news release.

As part of the accreditation process, AAAHC representatives evaluated clinics at select Walgreens, observed professionals in the clinic setting, interviewed executive leadership and conducted patient surveys. AAAHC has established specific standards that require clinics to be patient-centered, comprehensive, accessible and to coordinate care with all of the patients' primary care and specialty care provider teams.

"The role of retail clinics continues to grow and gain momentum as a valuable access point for care, and this setting is poised to grow in importance and value as millions of Americans enter the system under health care reform," John Burke, PhD, president and CEO, AAAHC. said in the release.

There are more than 400 healthcare clinics at select Walgreens stores across the U.S.