DEERFIELD, Ill. — Walgreen Co. has launched a new online tool that lets customers choose a pharmacist by matching their health care needs with the expertise, specialties, languages and clinical backgrounds of Walgreens pharmacists.

Find Your Pharmacist enables users to search pharmacist profiles to find the expertise that best suits their health needs.

The drug store chain said Tuesday that the search tool, called Find Your Pharmacist, marks an industry first for pharmacy customers.

Beyond medication dispensing and counseling, the search feature profiles highlight such pharmacist services as medication adherence, immunizations, diabetes management, children’s health, wellness education, medication side effects and HIV care, among others. The search tool also provides a map and the opportunity to meet the store pharmacy team.

"This is another way we are advancing community pharmacy by helping people connect on a more meaningful level with Walgreens pharmacists in their neighborhood, whether that is speaking their native language or providing clinical information specific to their health condition," Kermit Crawford, president of pharmacy, health and wellness at Walgreens, said in a statement.

Customers can access the tool at walgreens.com/findyourpharmacist or via the Walgreens.com store locator. Mobile users can also access the tool through any web-enabled mobile device. Walgreens pharmacy staff are also available 24/7 online for one-on-one live chats at walgreens.com/pharmacychat.

Walgreens noted that although location historically has been a chief factor for picking a pharmacy or pharmacist for prescription needs, new research by the company finds that clinical training and areas of expertise are also among the main reasons for selecting a certain pharmacy or pharmacist.

The survey revealed that almost 70% of respondents would consider a different location or pharmacist if the pharmacist was trained in specific areas that suit their needs.

The Walgreens poll also found that almost a third of pharmacy customer respondents would like to have the ability to search for pharmacists based on their expertise. And of those who know their pharmacist by name, nearly 75% deem their pharmacist a critical or very important member of their health care team.

"The pharmacist-patient relationship can be very instrumental in helping to improve health outcomes because patients often are talking with their pharmacist more often than their primary care physician," Crawford stated. "Establishing a personal relationship with your pharmacist can help improve health outcomes by helping customers feel comfortable and confident in working with their pharmacist for information, advice and support."