The retail giant Walmart has announced that it will be shutting down all 51 of its health care centers and discontinuing virtual care services. This decision comes after five years since the launch of Walmart Health centers, which were primarily located in Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Texas. These centers offered a variety of services including labs, X-rays, primary and urgent care, dental work, and behavioral health services.
Walmart stated that the closure of these health centers was a difficult decision that would impact not only patients but also associates and communities that supported them. The reason for this closure is due to challenges with reimbursement and rising operating costs. Despite these challenges, Walmart had hoped to continue providing quality healthcare services to its customers.
However, the company has decided to shift its focus towards its numerous pharmacies and vision centers. There are close to 4,600 pharmacies and over 3,000 vision centers across the country. These pharmacies will continue to provide immunizations, testing, and treatment services including access to specialty pharmacy medication and care. In recent years, Walmart has expanded the clinical capabilities of its pharmacy services to meet increasing demand.
The company plans to ensure that impacted associates have opportunities to transfer to other Walmart or Sam’s Club locations. Associates will receive pay for 90 days during this transition period. Those who do not transfer or leave the company after this period will receive severance benefits. While this decision may be difficult for some customers who relied on these health care centers for their medical needs, Walmart hopes that it can continue serving its customers through its existing network of pharmacies and vision centers.