(Photo copyright: Walgreens Boots Alliance.) “Through these conveniently located clinics at our neighborhood stores, we will uniquely integrate the pharmacist as a critical member of VillageMD’s multi-disciplinary care team to provide patients with personalized and coordinated care,” said Stefano Pessina, Walgreens Executive Vice Chairman and CEO, in the news release. Walgreens is investing $1 billion over three years in the clinics, which will be situated near its stores. Walgreens Boots Alliance (NASDAQ:WBA) partnered with VillageMD, a provider of primary care services, to open 500-700 “Village Medical at Walgreens” primary care clinics “in more than 30 US markets in the next five years, with the intent to build hundreds more thereafter,” according to a news release.īy end of summer 2021, 40 “Village Medical at Walgreens” primary care sites (above) are expected to open in Texas, Arizona, and Florida, according to a January 2021 news release. Walmart is not the only retailer offering primary care services amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Walmart Health’s “ Summary Price List” provides a complete list of medical laboratory tests and services offered at the retail clinics. Primary care physician office visit – $40.However, clinical laboratories wanting to be a testing provider to Walmart Health may have to keep their costs of tests and services down in order to be competitive.Īs Dark Daily reported in “ Walmart Opens Second Health Center Offering Clinical Laboratory Tests and Primary Care Services,” Walmart Health’s lab test prices-in conjunction with primary care services-are low. (Photo copyright: Walmart.)Ĭan Clinical Laboratories Compete or Collaborate with Walmart?Ī news release announcing the opening of the Walmart Health Centers in Chicago stated that Walmart Health partners with “local, on-the-ground health providers to deliver primary care, labs, x-ray and diagnostics, counseling, dental, and hearing services all in one facility at transparent pricing regardless of a patient’s insurance status.” Notice that, in the picture of the exterior of a Walmart Health clinic, “Labs” is a service that is prominently displayed as one of the important clinical services offered at that site. Clinical laboratories near these locations may want to reach out and offer lab testing services to these retail clinics. This means Walmart Health may double its locations by the end of this year.
Walmart could be operating 22 Walmart Health locations like that shown above in Georgia, Florida, Arkansas, and Illinois by the end of 2021, Fierce Healthcare reported. Our new health centers will be in communities in need of affordable, accessible preventive care, which we will help deliver through Walmart Health,” Flees wrote. “We’re planning to open seven Walmart Health locations in the Jacksonville market in 2021, with at least one opening in early 2021, and we’re beginning conversations in the Orlando and Tampa markets. “We know our customers need us more than ever, which is why we’re announcing an expansion of Walmart Health. “The past few months in particular have exposed the vulnerabilities of our healthcare system and left many without access to adequate health resources,” said Lori Flees, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Walmart US Health and Wellness, in a blog post. Walmart Health Eyes Florida Primary Care Market Therefore, clinical labs near Walmart Health locations would be wise to develop strategies and services toward becoming a lab test provider to these retail clinics. These retail clinics may not have their own medical laboratories, but their primary care physicians will be generating lab specimens.Īnd because Walmart offers medical laboratory tests at these locations, with so many people opting to visit health clinics installed within retail stores, independent clinical labs could see a noticeable drop in business as Walmart Health expands its network across the US. In addition, the giant retailer announced plans to open more primary care clinics at Walmart Supercenters in Chicago and Florida.Ĭlinical laboratory managers who struggle to keep revenues flowing should take notice. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Walmart (NYSE:WMT) managed to open six Walmart Health locations in Georgia and Arkansas. Walmart may be the largest, but it is not the only retailer offering clinical laboratory testing and primary care services at conveniently-located retail storesĮarlier this month in “ How Walmart Plans to Take Over Health Care,” CNBC asked, “Is Walmart the future of healthcare?” Good question.
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