Flu shot at Walgreens: a pleasant experience

I decided it was time for my flu shot yesterday and decided to give the local Walgreens a try after my usual chain pharmacy was rude on the phone. I was impressed with my experience and plan to go back. When I called the store the pharmacy staffer who picked up was pleasant and informative. I then walked in, filled out a form, registered for the new loyalty program and took a seat in the pharmacy waiting area.The pharmacist came out a couple minutes later, escorted me to a private zone, explained what to expect from the shot  and what to do if I had side effects, and then administered it. My Blue Cross HMO paid the full $31.99 cost. The pharmacist noticed I had Express Scripts (which Walgreens recently made up with after a fight) and invited me to bring my prescriptions there in the future. She was very pleasant and I think I might just make the switch. It felt a lot like the personal attention one would expect from an independent pharmacist.Clearly Walgreens is promoting vaccines --they are offering generous bonus points on the loyalty program and advertising it in the window. The strategy makes good sense. They are performing a public health function, making the process very convenient, utilizing the staff they already have on hand, and gaining the opportunity to make a sales pitch.They only need a small amount of space to offer this service. It seems like a better model than an in-store clinic staffed by a nurse practitioner. If all the staff are as professional and relationship-oriented as my pharmacists, this strategy is likely to pay-off.