BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart said it will open 22 Walmart Health clinics this year, including 18 in Texas. With the additions, Walmart will operate more than 70 physician-staffed health clinics in five states by year’s end. The company plans to introduce the clinics to a sixth market, Arizona, in 2025.
“Walmart Health remains focused on delivering health care that is convenient, personalized to each patient, inclusive of multiple service lines, all delivered by a community-focused team of board-certified providers,” said David Carmouche, Walmart’s senior vice president of health care delivery. “As we have from the beginning, we are taking a measured approach to growing our footprint, taking into account the unique needs of each community. We’re thrilled to be expanding into Missouri and deepening our presence in Texas this year.”
Walmart has emphasized that it introduced Walmart Health centers in 2019 to fill a gap in patient care by providing services beyond the diagnostic tests and immunizations that characterize much of the work performed at retail clinics. Each of the new Walmart Health centers will be about 5,400 square feet in size, located inside Walmart Supercenters, and feature Walmart Health’s suite of health services, which encompass primary and urgent care, labs, X-ray and diagnostics, telehealth, behavioral health, dental health, optometry and hearing services.
Walmart also said the new centers in Texas will offer value-based care for certain senior populations, where its board-certified providers make it easy for seniors to get annual checkups and dental cleanings and support managing chronic conditions all in one location. The company added that the centers will meet the needs of busy families, seniors and their caregivers by offering care seven days a week, with convenient weekend and evening hours as well as telehealth options on Sundays.
Walmart Health centers opening in Texas this year are as follows:
• 10505 Broadway St., Suite 100, Pearland, Texas.
• 345 Highway 6, Sugar Land, Texas.
• 15955 FM Road 529, Houston.
• 22605 Tomball Parkway C, Tomball, Texas.
• 2727 Dunvale Road, Unit D, Houston.
• 4412 North Fwy., Houston.
• 2391 S. Wayside Drive, Unit D, Houston.
• 3506 Highway 6 S., Suite B, Houston.
• 951 W. Belt Line Road, Suite 100, Desoto, Texas.
• 2900 Renaissance Square, Suite 100, Fort Worth.
• 7451 Mccart Ave., Suite 100, Fort Worth.
• 5302 N. Garland Ave., Suite 100, Garland, Texas.
• 6001 N. Central Expressway, Suite 100, Plano, Texas.
• 6401 N.E. Loop 820, Suite 200, North Richland Hills, Texas.
• 8401 Anderson Blvd., Suite 100, Fort Worth.
• 200 Short Blvd., Suite 150, Dallas.
• 4122 LBJ Freeway, Suite 130, Dallas.
• 202 U.S. Highway 80 East, Mesquite, Texas.
“With the population of Texas continuing to grow, these Walmart Health centers will help address the demand for easy-to-access care for all seniors and their families,” said Carmouche.
As part of its push deeper into community health care, Walmart has made moves to empower its pharmacists to practice at the top of their clinical abilities. The company introduced a pilot program, Testing and Treatment, that lets Walmart pharmacists test customers for strep throat, the flu and COVID-19, and then offer in-store treatment options.
Introduced in a dozen states, the program goes beyond the services many others can offer while epitomizing convenience, the company said. “A flu test may lead to a prescription for Tamiflu, or a sore throat could be calmed by tea and chicken noodle soup,” Kevin Host senior vice president, Walmart Health & Wellness, Pharmacy, said in August in introducing the program. “Either way, it’s only aisles away. Our pharmacies are ready to be more than your second or third stop on the path to getting better — they can be your only stop.”
Walmart operates 4,600 pharmacies in stores across the United States, and about 4,000 of them are located in medically underserved areas, the company said.
Walmart cited the pandemic in bringing to light the full potential for an expanded scope of care offered by pharmacists and other practitioners, given the growing shortage of physicians.
Walmart is also stepping up its virtual health care capabilities through its clinics. Walmart acquired telehealth provider MeMD in 2022 and rebranded the service as Walmart Virtual Health Care, providing telehealth services for medical and behavioral care.
Selected Walmart Health centers in Florida and Georgia also offer comprehensive value-based care to certain Medicare Advantage patients as part of a collaboration between Walmart and UnitedHealth Group.
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