Walmart announced Tuesday that it would close health centers and a virtual health offering in five states, calling it a “difficult decision.”
Walmart Health’s 51 in-person locations and virtual clinics did not have a “sustainable business model” that would allow the supermarket giant to continue operating them, the company said.
The company added that it will implement the lessons learned from the project, which began in 2019, in its 4,600 pharmacies and 3,000 vision care centers across the United States.
“Our priority will be to ensure that the people and communities affected are treated with the utmost respect, compassion and support throughout the transition period,” the company said in a statement.
“We do not yet have a specific date for the closure of the individual centers, but will announce it as soon as decisions have been made.”
Walmart Health lists Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Missouri and Texas as states where in-person clinics will be offered, six states instead of the five announced.
There are fears that this move will leave patients in rural areas without access to affordable healthcare.
“What was unique was that they focused on stores in underserved communities. It’s disappointing that Walmart couldn’t make that work because these patients need care and don’t have as many options,” Ateev Mehrotra, a professor of health policy and medicine at Harvard Medical School who researches retail health clinics, told CNN.
The closures represent a reversal of the company’s plans to double the number of clinics last year.
“We understand that this change impacts the lives of the patients who receive treatment, the staff and providers who deliver the care, and the communities that have supported us along the way,” the announcement said.
Walmart said it will now work on the continuity of care for its patients and will help employees affected by the changes with the option of transferring to another store or location within the company.
