Retail chain Walmart is in the process of expanding its Walmart Health medical centers with additional centers in Florida by the end of 2023, it announced Thursday.
Ten locations are expected to open in Dallas as well as six in Phoenix, Arizona, and four in Kansas City, Missouri.
Walmart Health, first launched in 2019 with a pilot location in Georgia, now has 32 locations, including Texas, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, and Illinois.
“Walmart is on a mission to transform the cost and convenience of healthcare in the communities we serve, by ensuring everyone has access to quality, affordable and convenient care,” the Walmart website states. The medical centers offer in-person and virtual healthcare to local communities that is “accessible, convenient, and affordable.”
The goal of the medical centers is “to provide key health center services for local customers with transparent pricing, regardless of insurance status.”
“Our healthcare providers don’t just care for patients — they build relationships within their communities,” Walmart wrote in a press release.
“As we have from the beginning, we will continue to grow and adapt at a responsible pace to better serve the communities where we live and work. For example, we are changing the physical footprint and layout of the center, so patients spend less time in the waiting room and more time with their doctor.”
Walmart said that it believes since 90% of the U.S. population is within 10 miles of one of its stores, it has the ability to serve many people who are working within a budget.
According to Healthcare Dive, Walmart is planning to spend millions on the expansion.
Conveniently built next to Walmart Supercenters, the biggest purpose of the medical centers is to serve people with either very limited or no insurance.
Walmart believes that it can make it in the market by differentiating itself through inexpensive services and transparent pricing plans, and the company competes with rivals CVS and Walgreens.
Prices for services vary depending on the region, health requirements, and patient demographics.
Walmart appears to be hoping that its brand name recognition will be enough to generate profits and help make good on the millions invested in the medical centers so far.
