Did you ever think that you could get healthcare services at your local department store? Well, Walmart is doing just that. On September 13, 2019 the first Walmart Health Center opened in Dallas, Georgia. Although it is located in a separate building, it is alongside a Walmart Super Store. Offering healthcare services is not new to Walmart. In 2014, Walmart opened 19 Care Clinics in 3 states, but this venture will be different and on a larger scale. This center will provide a variety of healthcare services for the consumer, such as primary care, urgent care, lab services, diagnostic x-ray services, vaccinations, dental, vision, nutrition and health counseling. Qualified healthcare professionals such as, doctors, nurse practitioners, dentists, behavioral health specialists and optometrists will be delivering these health services to consumers. Walmart has also partnered with a Wellness organization that will provide online health education and in-center workshops to educate the community on health and wellness.
According to Walmart, they have been working with healthcare experts to develop ways of providing quality, accessible and affordable healthcare to customers regardless of their insurance status. Providing an alternative healthcare center such as this will meet the needs of consumers in providing lower cost healthcare for individuals who have a high deductible insurance plan. This may be attractive to people who pay cash for their basic healthcare needs, such as vaccinations and physicals. According to Walmart, pricing for the services will be transparent and estimated to be priced 30%-50% lower than what consumers are paying with other providers. To make it easy for consumers to book appointments, Walmart has launched the website, www.Walmarthealth.com to schedule their visits. So far, Walmart is saying their schedules are full and people are coming.
One article that spoke about the opening of the new center asked some of the people in the community at Dallas, Georgia what they thought of having this new center. One man who has lived in the town for 13 years saw this as positive. He saw the location as convenient and stated he could pick up his groceries and stop to see his doctor if he wanted to! Overall, there has been a positive response to this center by both the customers and the community. Part of the Walmart motto is for the customer to “live better”, now according to their leadership, live better will mean,” living healthier”.
As a nurse and patient advocate the idea of offering the public affordable, easy access care is always applauded. However, there are a few items that the consumer should consider when accessing healthcare services:
Who are the “qualified” healthcare providers, what credentials do they have?
What access do I have to these providers? Are they available by phone if I call with questions?
Will these providers interface with the current healthcare professionals I see now?
What hospital will I be taken to if I experience an emergency at the center?
Walmart will be providing “Care Hosts” at the center to help customers navigate their visit. Hopefully, these individuals can help answer consumer questions regarding the healthcare services. This change in the delivery of healthcare in alternative places may be the proverbial “shot in the arm” that our complex healthcare system needs right now!
By opening this center, Walmart is taking away the barriers that may prevent the consumer from getting the healthcare they need, such as high cost, lack of insurance and lack of availability of services. In an effort to provide primary care and other healthcare services, Walmart will be making the entry point for quality care easier for their customers.