Rite Aid announces acquisition of Health Dialog Services

Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE:RAD) announced today it has acquired Boston-based Health Dialog Services Corporation, a leading provider of health coaching, shared decision making and healthcare analytics from Bupa, a London-based international healthcare services group. Through the acquisition, Health Dialog will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary of Rite Aid. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Rite Aid's acquisition of Health Dialog will also support and advance Rite Aid Health Alliance, a pioneering health management collaboration among various healthcare providers who deliver comprehensive care and support to individuals with chronic and poly-chronic health conditions. Health Dialog has been working closely with Rite Aid over the past year as the program has been developed, and currently provides care coaches for Rite Aid Health Alliance.

"We are extremely pleased to have Health Dialog become a part of the Rite Aid family and believe this strategic acquisition will be mutually beneficial to both companies," said Rite Aid's Chairman and CEO John Standley. "This acquisition will provide Health Dialog with an expanded footprint to grow its existing business as well as further leverage the company's coaching services' expertise as we work to bring Rite Aid Health Alliance to more Rite Aid markets and customers. Additionally, we will benefit from Health Dialog's industry-leading analytics and shared-decision making tools, helping us to better serve the health and wellness needs of our customers and further develop our pharmacy services as a growing retail health care company."

Through Rite Aid Health Alliance, a first-of-its-kind program in the drugstore industry, patients with chronic and poly-chronic conditions, like congestive heart failure, COPD, high cholesterol and diabetes, are recommended to the program by their primary care physician. Rite Aid pharmacists and specially trained care coaches, located in Rite Aid pharmacies, work with the physician and patient on an on-going basis to improve the patient's overall health and self-management abilities. The care team members collaborate with the patient to establish health goals, eliminate barriers and create a personalized health care action plan in coordination with the patient's physician.

Rite Aid Health Alliance is currently offered to patients recommended by their physicians to participate in the pilot program at select Rite Aid pharmacies in Buffalo, N.Y., Greensboro, N.C., and the greater Los Angeles area.

"Rite Aid shares our vision of empowering people and delivering health-supporting behavior change programs, with the goal of improving the well-being of the individuals and communities we serve," said Health Dialog Services Corporation's CEO Robert Mandel. "We look forward to this new relationship and to an exciting future for Health Dialog as we work with Rite Aid to expand Rite Aid Health Alliance and pursue new opportunities to grow Health Dialog's portfolio of clients and services."