Walgreens launches Apple Watch health app, plans Apple Pay integration

Deerfield, Ill. — Walgreens on Monday officially launched its app for Apple Watch that helps keep patients adherent to their medication regimens. The Walgreens App for Apple Watch is designed to help patients manage their medications, whether it is a simple, once-daily reminder or multiple complex drug regimens.



“Walgreens apps and services are designed to provide customers with ultimate access, choice and convenience — we want to help remove friction and make the customer experience as simple as possible,” said Sona Chawla, president of digital and chief marketing officer for Walgreens. “Whether that’s launching new wearables technology that promotes adherence and proper health regimens or making it easier, safer, and more private to redeem Balance Rewards points through mobile payments with Apple Pay, we want to help customers manage their lives.”



Walgreens also announced the planned integration of Balance Rewards with Apple Pay, coming this fall to stores with the launch of rewards support for Apple Pay. Beginning this fall, Apple Pay will provide immediate access to Balance Rewards without separately scanning a Balance Rewards card.



Additionally, Balance Rewards members will be able to view their current rewards points balance through Apple Pay. The ability to view points directly from the surfaced card provides easier access to loyalty points at checkout and allows users to see how much they can redeem.



The Apple Watch app connects with the user’s Pill Reminders inside the Walgreens iPhone app, and Apple’s “actionable alerts” allow the user to mark a medication as taken or skipped, as well as view which medications might have been missed or may be taken next. Refill Reminders predict when medication may be running low and offer users a one-touch method to initiate a refill. The user will receive a follow-up notification when the medication is ready for pickup.