Walmart will double its health center numbers amid continued expansion into the wellness space.
The retail giant announced Thursday (March 2, 2023) that it plans to open 28 centers across the country in the first quarter of next year, with the goal of more than 75 by the end of 2024. The news comes as Walmart and its retail rivals are stepping up their investment in the healthcare field.
“We know the cost and convenience of healthcare remains a barrier for many Americans, which is why we decided to bring our one-stop model of healthcare to these communities,” Dr. David Carmouche, Walmart’s senior vice president for omnichannel care, said in a news release.
“With 90% of the U.S. population located within 10 miles of a Walmart, Walmart Health is in a unique position to provide quality, affordable health and wellness services where our neighbors already live and shop.”
According to the announcement, the new locations will bring Walmart Health to two new states — Arizona and Missouri — while furthering the company’s presence in Texas.
The health centers inside Walmart Supercenters offer primary care, virtual health, dental care, behavioral health, lab tests and X-ray and audiology services.
Walmart’s ventures into the health field include the health centers, its 2021 purchase of virtual healthcare company MeMD in 2021 and its move last fall to sell over-the-counter hearing aids.
Recent weeks have seen a number of other retailers make their own healthcare pushes. CVS is one of the more notable examples, last month finalizing a $10 billion deal to acquire primary care provider Oak Street Health.
Also in February, grocery giant Albertsons launched Sincerely Health, a digital health and wellness platform accessible via the apps and websites of 16 of the brand’s supermarkets.
And in January, Dollar General began piloting a mobile health program for rural customers, providing services that include yearly physicals, vaccinations, lab testing and urgent care.
Walmart rival Amazon last week finalized its $3.9 billion purchase of One Medical, a primary care provider that offers in-person and digital services.
“We think health care is high on the list of experiences that need reinvention,” Neil Lindsay, senior vice president of Amazon Health Services, said at the time the deal was first announced.
“Booking an appointment, waiting weeks or even months to be seen, taking time off work, driving to a clinic, finding a parking spot, waiting in the waiting room then the exam room for what is too often a rushed few minutes with a doctor, then making another trip to a pharmacy — we see lots of opportunity to both improve the quality of the experience and give people back valuable time in their days.”
