Walgreens Ready Response
Is This Your Business?1.0
Author: Kaitlyn Short
The Walgreens Ready Response Medical Alert system comes in three different package options which are designed to accommodate any budget. These systems are offered on a month-to-month basis without any penalty for canceling service. The Ready Response System was created by Tunstall Americas who specializes in developing innovative medical communication technologies. Read Walgreens Ready Response reviews below to see what customers have to say about the medical alert provider.
Top Ranked Companies
The Good
- Response Centers
- Equipment
- Multiple Plan Options
- Refer a Friend Discount
Response Centers
Walgreens Ready Response was created as a partnership between the pharmacy leader and Tunstall Americas, an industry leader in healthcare communication technologies. As such, much of the communication is with representatives of Tunstall rather than Walgreens. Standard to the medical monitoring industry, the emergency response centers are open and staffed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. When the medical alert device is triggered and an alert is received, the agents will perform a quick triage and determine the best level of intervention which is needed, whether it be to summon emergency personnel or to contact a family member.
Equipment
The equipment offered to customers of Walgreens Ready Response is fairly basic and standard to the industry. They offer home monitoring units with options for either landline or cellular customers as well as mobile medical monitoring with GPS for monitoring away from home. As with most medical monitoring companies, the system is fairly straightforward and can be self-installed. The system includes a base unit and transmitter, which is a small button which is typically worn as a pendant or on a wristband.
Multiple Plan Options
Walgreens Ready Response offers three main medical alert packages with a couple of à la carte options as well. Plan details and devices available are as follows:
Vi+ Home Based Unit
Monthly: $29.99; Quarterly: $89.97; Semi-Annually: $179.94; Annually: $359.88
The Vi+ is a traditional medical alert system with a Vi unit and pendant (neck cord, wristband, and belt clip options available). The standard pendant can be replaced with the iVi Intelligent Pendant with Fall Detection. The unit has a 30-hour backup battery and is water resistant.
CEL Home Based Unit
Monthly: $36.99; Quarterly: $110.97; Semi-Annually: $221.94; Annually: $443.88
The CEL is a cellular medical alert system that does not require a landline. It includes a CEL unit and emergency button (neck cord, wristband, and belt clip options available). The standard pendant can be replaced with the iVi Intelligent Pendant with Fall Detection. The unit has a 30-hour backup battery and is water resistant. The monthly cost includes the cellular fees.
Ready Response On the Go Mobile Safety Device
Activation Fee: $14.99; Monthly: $39.99; Quarterly: $119.97; Semi-Annually: $239.94; Annually: $479.88
The Ready Response On the Go is a mobile safety device package. It has built-in GPS and LBS technology to identify your location. It can be programmed with fall detection and includes hands-free, two-way voice communication. The device is water resistant and has a 36-hour standby battery life. This package requires a $14.99 activation fee and the monthly cost includes cellular fees.
iVi Intelligent Pendant with Fall Detection
Monthly: $7.99; Quarterly: $23.97; Semi-Annually: $47.94; Annually: $95.88
The iVi is an optional upgrade to the standard emergency button. Similar to the standard pendant, you can wear it with accessories, such as a clothing clip, belt clip, or neck cord. The advanced pendant has fall detection that has adjustable fall sensitivity that is customizable to individuals. There is a cancel button on the pendant that allows you to cancel fall activations if assistance is not necessary at that time. The pendant also includes low battery alerts and has a 380 ft range from the home base unit. The pendant is water resistant.
Lock Box
Monthly: $2.99; Quarterly: $8.97; Semi-Annually: $17.94; Annually $35.88
The lock box is meant for safely storing items such as keys outside your front door in the case of an emergency. It holds up to six keys and has an adjustable combination lock. The lock box is metal, durable, and tamper proof. It can hang from a doorknob, fence, or other common places around the outside or inside of the home.
Refer a Friend Discount
Walgreens Ready Response offers a referral program for its medical alert services. If you are currently a customer and refer a friend to Walgreens Ready Response, the company will give you one free month of service upon activation of your friend's unit. Also, if you provide the names and contact details of three friends who would be interested in hearing about Walgreens Ready Response, the company will give you a $15 Walgreens gift card once the contact information is validated. You can contact the company directly if you have further questions regarding the referral program.
The Bad
- Limited Range
- No Money-Back Guarantee
- Limited Warranty Information
Limited Range
Walgreens Ready Response's systems have a much smaller range than many of the competition, in some cases, around half of the range. The range of the medical alarm is reported at 380 feet, meaning that for an in-home system (not the mobile product), one must be within 380 feet of the base unit for it to transmit data or register a fall. This can be quite limiting in some homes and could be prohibitive for customers with larger homes. Additionally, the company reports that they do not guarantee the range and that certain factors may increase or decrease the actual range of the product.
No Money-Back Guarantee
Walgreens Ready Response does not come with a money-back guarantee, which can be worrisome for consumers wanting a trial period before fulling committing to the medical alert service. Even upon returning your ordered items, you will not receive your money back if you are not satisfied with Walgreens Ready Response's services.
Limited Warranty Information
Walgreens Ready Response does not include warranty information on its site except for saying that you will need to contact the company directly if you have questions and would like to learn more about repair or warranty information. It is unclear whether or not you will receive new equipment free of charge upon returning broken or defective ordered items. This can be frustrating for consumers who want warranty information up front and don't want to have to contact the company directly.
The Bottom Line
With all of the choices available for medical monitoring, there is significant competition. In spite of a familiar name, Walgreens Ready Response does not meet some of the basic needs for exemplary medical alarm service.
While simple to purchase, install and use, the limitations of this product are significant and the pricing is about the same as that from the competitors, many of which offer comparable plans or features with a larger range and a warranty.
At this time, Walgreens Ready Response is not recommended as a good choice because of their limited range, lack of a guarantee and the B- rating awarded to Tunstall Americas for customer service concerns.
Walgreens Ready Response reviews are also limited, so it is difficult to see what customers think about the medical alert provider and its offerings, such as quality of customer service, equipment quality, and emergency response times. For the same price and improved service and equipment, it makes sense to look elsewhere.
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PS West Columbia, SC
2 years ago
