Wal-Mart Opening Health Clinics

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Wal-Mart opening health clinics

Nashville Business Journal

Friday, February 8, 2008 - 9:18 AM CST

 

Expanding its brand into the health care market, retail giant Wal-

Mart Stores Inc. unveiled plans Thursday to open 400 new health

clinics nationwide by 2010.

 

The Bentonsville, Ark.-based discount chain plans to team up with

local hospitals and health systems in Atlanta, Little Rock, Ark. and

Dallas over the next year, with its first clinic slated to open in

April.

 

" We are confident that our new model of partnership with hospital

systems will provide access to quality health care services for folks

who don't want to wait in a busy emergency room or can't get in to

see their physician, " says Dr. John Agwunobi, president of health and

wellness for Wal-Mart, in a statement.

 

RediClinic LLC, a Texas-based retail health screening service

company, plans to manage and operate the Wal-Mart clinics.

 

The new clinics will be equipped to treat minor ailments, including

sore throats, sinus infections, bladder infections and earaches. The

in-store sites will also provide health screenings, medical tests,

vaccinations and basic physical exams and prescribe medications. The

sites will be staffed by licensed physicians and nurses. The clinics

will be open seven days a week.

 

In its pilot programs, nearly 55 percent of patients using in-store

clinics were uninsured, according to company reports.

 

The new clinics will also accept insurance from carriers including

Aetna, Humana and BlueCross BlueShield.

 

Last year, the company introduced its low-cost generic prescriptions,

charging shoppers $4 to $9 for some medications.

 

Wal-Mart operates over a dozen stores in Middle Tennessee.

 

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