Walmart Shuts Down Health Centers and Virtual Care Service after Unsuccessful Venture in the Healthcare Industry”.

In a recent announcement, Walmart has decided to shut down its health centers and virtual care service due to the challenges they have been facing in finding success with these offerings. The retail giant launched its health centers five years ago with the goal of helping people save money on their healthcare needs. However, after managing these facilities and virtual service for some time, Walmart has determined that there is no sustainable business model for them to continue operating.

The company based in Bentonville, Arkansas had 51 health centers in five states. Walmart opened its first health center in 2019 but has now made the difficult decision to close them down. In a statement, Walmart cited the challenging reimbursement environment and escalating operating costs as contributing factors to the lack of profitability, making the care business unsustainable for them at this time.

Although Walmart had plans announced in March 2023 to expand its health centers, they have now decided to close them down. While specific closure dates have not yet been provided, Walmart has stated that employees at these health centers will have the option to transfer to other Walmart or Sam’s Club locations.

Despite closing its health centers and virtual care service, Walmart still operates almost 4,600 pharmacies and more than 3,000 vision centers in the U.S., which are still valuable resources for customers looking for affordable healthcare options.