Walmart will add 18 new Walmart Health Centers in Texas in 2024, joining the four sites operating now. The first three openings will be in Pearland, Sugar Land and Tomball, Texas. Each Walmart Health facility is approximately 5,400 square feet and is located beside a Walmart Supercenter.
While specific services offered will vary by location, each site will offer same-day primary care, primary care, dental, behavioral health, labs, X-rays, community health and telehealth services. The Texas centers also will offer value-based care to certain senior populations, making it easier for them to get annual check-ups, dental cleanings and support managing chronic conditions, all in one location. . . .
This is great for consumers. Just like Amazon has expanded into healthcare. This type of competition will force medical providers to be more competitive and just as importantly increase price transparency. This will do more to reduce the cost of healthcare than anything government can do.
Moreover, according to this old, but not terribly old graphic I use, the US has one doctor per 2,600 people. A typical Walmart employs more than 260 people (both full- and part-time) and the average US family size is 2.5 so . . . any doctor who wants to join/open a new office would get a significant portion (10-20%??) of his patients easy-peasy.
.
.
.
Of course the offices are open to the general pubic. I’m just looking at the business model of getting one’s first 10-20% of patients without even trying.
They dont have to be doctors, you can have several Physicians Assistants reporting to one doctor. When I go to my clinic I rarely see the doctor I work with the PA.
Its not like Walmart is going to be scheduling cashiers and shelf stackers to work in the clinics.
And if they are classified as urgent cares they don’t need doctors in a lot of states. Just a nurse practitioner is good enough. Much wider pool of applicants.
not to be picky but your graphic shows 2.6 per 1000 people in the United States.
walmart might work in texas where people arent insured but in Jersey and other progressive states where the majority of people are insured would not use walmart. i for instance have a cardiologist, a dermatologist, and a GP.
dont think walmart could compete with private groups here in jersey.
. I love marketing. Good for Walmart. It’s an epic cash cow.
