Last Updated on October 26, 2021
Walgreens Ready Response medical alert systems offer emergency response monitoring to the elderly and other consumers similar to what Life Alert offers. Though branded Walgreens, the product line is actually managed by Connect America, a leader in the medical alert systems industry.
Background
The Walgreens brand name is well-known as they are a huge retail drugstore chain in the US with over 9,000 locations. They do not produce their own medical alert systems, but instead have an independent provider operate it under their brand name.
The Walgreens Ready Response Medical Alert systems program is run by Connect America, a telehealth and personal emergency response services (PERS) provider. Connect America is one of the largest medical alert companies in the US today.
Alongside managing private label solutions for other parties, Connect America sells their medical alert services directly to consumers through the brand name of Medical Alert. When we called the 800 number listed for Walgreens Ready Response, the representative answered the call with the words “medical alert.” We asked about Walgreens Ready Response, and he responded “yes that’s us.”
The Walgreens Ready Response program was previously supported by Tunstall Americas, a healthcare communication and monitoring services company that was acquired by Connect America in January 2019.
Walgreens branded medical alert devices cannot be purchased directly at a Walgreens retail location. Prospective customers can visit their website www.walgreensreadyresponse.com to find out more or to order the service.
Walgreens Ready Response Products
In-Home Medical Alert System
- Includes base console unit that contains speaker and microphone, and separate pendant or bracelet button.
- Connectivity: Landline or AT&T Cellular
- Fall Detection Button: Available, additional $10/mo, neck button only
- Pricing: $22.95/mo, additional $10/mo for optional cellular service (prepayment discounts available)
- No long-term contracts
Mobile GPS System
- Includes all-in-one mobile GPS help button device and charging dock.
- Connectivity: AT&T Cellular
- Fall Detection Button: Available, additional $10/mo
- Pricing: $37.95/mo, cellular service included (prepayment discounts available)
- Pricing with additional pendant/bracelet button: $42.95/mo
- No long-term contracts
Pros
Great product choices – Includes both home-based and on-the-go options. On-the-go systems will work at home or outside. Customers get access to 24/7 professional emergency response monitoring.
No home phone line needed – No home phone line or cell phone line needed. They have systems that come with an internal SIM card and connection service.
Fall detection option – Sensors within the pendants will detect falls and activate alert calls automatically. This is helpful in case the subscriber falls and cannot press on the button manually. It’s available optionally for an extra $10/mo.
Convenient mobile system configuration – With the Walgreens Ready Response mobile speaker device, you can choose to pair it with a lightweight remote activation button. It comes in handy when you find it inconvenient to wear the mobile device but still like to be protected.
Competitive pricing – Their pricing is competitive compared to other companies at $22.95/mo for a basic in-home system, and $37.95/mo for an on-the-go mobile GPS system. Costs will decline further with prepayment discounts.
No long-term contracts – No minimum time period commitments required. All equipment loaned out must be returned in an undamaged condition.
GPS Location sharing – Location information can be retrieved through a mobile phone app for caregivers.
Cons
Not available at Walgreens stores – Some people are expecting to purchase this through Walgreens, but you won’t be able to find this in their stores. The branded program is run by a major medical alert provider, Connect America, under the Walgreens name.
Website unavailable – We had difficulty accessing their website www.walgreensreadyresponse.com, and were referred to connectamerica.com instead. That made product information less accessible.
Cancellation process – According to Connect America BBB complaints filed, some customers found it difficult to reach someone who could help them during the equipment return and account cancellation process (more).
In-Home System Design and Features
The standard Walgreens Ready Response in-home landline comes with a Mytrex MXD base console unit and lightweight personal help button to remotely activate an emergency call.
Similar to other medical alert systems (eg. Life Alert) in the category, elderly system users can choose to wear their personal help button in the form of a pendant or bracelet. When they require help, they can press on the emergency button to activate a call to the monitoring center.
A trained monitoring representative will then speak with their elderly customer through the two-way speakerphone on the base console. The representative will determine how their customer is doing and what type of help is needed. They can summon the appropriate help.
The best medical alert companies offer quality equipment and 24/7 monitoring in a similar manner. The difference in customer service experience is also largely driven by the pricing, packages and how easy or difficult it is to purchase and cancel.
As a comparison, the Walgreens landline system, through Connect America, is based on the same Mytrex in-home base console unit model as Bay Alarm Medical. Although the basic equipment and 24/7 monitoring is very similar, Bay Alarm Medical customers offers hassle-free month-to-month pricing with fewer BBB complaints. If you are comparing systems, check out our Bay Alarm Medical review for more details.
Landline vs No Home Phone Line
The standard in-home base console requires a home phone line connection to work, whether it is a landline or a VoIP digital phone line. They have not published any guarantees about it, but most medical alert systems equipment will work with good quality VoIP lines (eg. from the phone or cable company).
Even if you or your parents no longer have a home phone line, you will still be able to use their services. The Walgreens Ready Response product line includes a cellular based medical alert base console system. It comes with a SIM card and cellular service included.
Range Considerations for In-Home System
The wireless range between the in-home emergency help button and the base unit is up to 600 ft for their home-based landline or cellular units. This is a wide radius – to put this in perspective, the length of a football field is 360 ft. Based on these dimensions, one can expect the Walgreens Ready Response to offer a comfortably sufficient range for a 2500 square feet home.
The actual working range of the remote help button will depend on the actual layout of the home, obstacles present, and other environmental considerations. We advise users to run range tests from various parts of their home after they set-up their system.
What’s great is that their in-home base console units come equipped with a range testing function. On the back of the base console unit, there is a range test button (marked T/L). You can press this to turn on the Range Test mode.
Despite the wide range, the Walgreens in-home medical alert systems will NOT be a suitable choice for on-the-go monitoring outside of the home. Even if the range is long enough to activate an alert when you are a distance from home, it will be difficult, if not impossible, to indicate your location to the emergency monitoring representative.
For an in-home system, the base console unit with the speaker and microphone is always kept at home – that makes it too far to speak with the monitoring representative. In addition, the in-home emergency help button does not have a speaker/microphone or GPS location tracking to let the monitoring center know where you are.
On-the-Go Monitoring
Fortunately, Walgreens offers an on-the-go mobile GPS medical alert device designed for use both in and out of the home. This is a small mobile device that can be worn with a lanyard. Subscribers can push the help button and speak right into the pendant itself, as the device houses both a speaker and microphone. This GPS mobile alert device comes with its own SIM card and AT&T cellular service.
The all-in-one mobile device system design is different from an in-home medical alert that contains a base console unit and separate neck or bracelet button. As such, it is not subjected to the usual range restrictions, it will work anywhere with good AT&T cellular coverage.
Another nice touch about the Walgreens mobile system configuration is that customers have the option to add separate lightweight in-home buttons that will pair up with their mobile device. These are “dummy” buttons that will remotely activate an alert call on the mobile device.
This mobile medical alert configuration offers added convenience for the times when you prefer not to wear the bulkier mobile device around your neck, but still want protection. Perhaps when you are showering or when you want to keep the device nearby and in the charging dock.
Most medical alert systems do not have this feature, one comparative product is the Mobile Guardian by Medical Guardian (mobile device pairs with button). They have two other styles of mobile medical alert devices you can compare with.
For users wanting wide coverage, you can compare the Ready Response On the Go button with GPS with other mobile medical alert systems.
Monitoring Center Credentials
Their medical alert monitoring operates 24/7 a day like others in the industry. It is unclear what type of industry standards their emergency response monitoring services for Walgreens Ready Response customers will adhere to. However, given the background and expertise of both companies, we do not see the quality of monitoring as a problem area.
Prior to the acquisition of Tunstall Americas, Connect America worked with monitoring centers that met top-tier industry standards of being UL Listed and TMA Five Diamond certified. In contrast, Tunstall Americas, the previous Walgreens medical alert program managers that Connect America acquired, did not pursue the same credentials.
Tunstall Americas’ approach was to provide quality, professional-level services through operating two US-based HIPAA compliant call centers with redundant communications infrastructure.
Complaints
As Walgreens Ready Response is managed and operated by Connect America, we looked into Connect America’s BBB profile. In the last 3 years, they had 121 complaints (as of Oct 2021). Reviewing through them, quite a number of customers complained of difficulties in canceling their accounts. Some customers also voiced disagreements on billing and charges when closing their accounts.
We found that the company demonstrated professionalism and fairness when answering BBB complaints. When things did not work as their policies indicated, they were quick to apologize and make amends. In addition, their level of complaints has been on a declining trend the last few years – a positive sign.
The company still scored an A+ with the BBB, partly due to the fact that their number of complaints is small compared to their number of customers.
Comparison with other Medical Alert Companies
Walgreens Ready Response medical alert systems are competitive with other top-tier medical alert companies offer. Some of their equipment are the same models that other top tier companies offer. Their reasonably priced solutions and options meet the needs of most seniors looking for such services.
They are very much a quality, middle of the road provider you can rely on. If you are researching before you purchase, you may also want to review additional options available. As a comparison, Bay Alarm Medical offers very similar in-home base console system equipment with quality 24/7 monitoring, straightforward month-to-month payments, a website with clear information, and a less worrisome level of BBB complaints (see our review).
For more comparisons, check out our reviews of other top-tier companies here, and our Comparison chart here.
Walgreens Medical Alert FAQs
Can I purchase Walgreens Ready Response in a Walgreens store?
You can’t purchase Walgreens Ready Response in stores. To purchase it, visit their website at www.walgreensreadyresponse.com.
Does Walgreens sell Life Alert?
Walgreens does not sell Life Alert on their website or in their stores. Their Walgreens Ready Response systems with medical alert necklaces similar to Life Alert are sold via a separate website.
Does Walgreens sell medical alert systems at their stores?
Walgreens generally does not sell medical alert systems at their stores, except for the Great Call Lively Mobile Plus button. Walgreens Ready Response medical alert systems are sold via a separate website and through the phone. This program is managed and operated by Connect America under the Walgreens brand name.
Does Walgreens sell medical alert bracelets?
Walgreens sells medical ID bracelets that are used to alert emergency response personnel about the patient’s medical conditions and medications used (details). If you are looking for medical alert bracelets with a personal help button to call for help, check the Walgreens Ready Response website.
While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this review, the information is supplied without warranties of any kind. We advise all readers to do careful due diligence before purchasing. Take time to visit the company’s website or speak with their representatives.
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