Walmart to open 28 new Walmart Health Centers

This expansion will increase Walmart Health’s footprint into two new states, including Missouri and Arizona.

3/2/2023

Walmart Health is in expansion mode.

The company announced it will add 28 new Walmart Health centers, with more than 75 total locations by the end of the year. This expansion will increase Walmart Health’s footprint into two new states, including Missouri and Arizona, deepening its presence in Texas in the Dallas metro area and growing into Houston.

"Since the inception of Walmart Health in 2019, Walmart has continued to grow, adapt and learn to serve the communities where we live and work. Over the past year, we’ve expanded our presence in the Sunshine State, implemented value-based care in our Florida and Georgia locations to individuals with qualifying Medicare Advantage plans," the company said.

The new state-of-the-art facilities will be approximately 5,750 sq. ft., located beside Walmart Supercenters, and will feature Walmart Health’s full suite of health services to provide care to busy families. These services may vary by location, but include primary care, labs, X-ray and EKG, behavioral health, dental, hearing, select specialty services, community health and telehealth.

David Carmouche, senior vice president of Omnichannel Care at Walmart, shared in a blog post that "since we opened our first Walmart Health center in 2019, our goal has been simple: serve our communities by providing accessible, convenient and affordable health care. Our healthcare providers don’t just care for patients—they build relationships within their communities."

Carmouche gave the example of Dr. Umara Saleem at its center in Brandon, Fla. "When a middle-aged patient came to see her showing obvious symptoms of a heart attack, she spent an hour persuading the patient to get emergency care, even though this patient was fearful of the hospital. Had Dr. Saleem not persisted, the outcome could have been very serious—the patient had a 99% blockage in her artery. After getting the emergency care she needed, this patient returned to the Walmart Health center to personally thank Dr. Saleem, and the patient has continued to see her to manage her overall health with regular primary care visits. This patient—along with other members of her community—is able to live better by receiving convenient care where she is already shopping for essentials and healthy food," he said.

Carmouche went on to say, "That’s why I’m excited to announce that in 2024 we will be growing in a big way, opening 28 new Walmart Health center locations. This will expand Walmart Health’s footprint into two new states Missouri and Arizona—and deepen our presence in Texas. By the end of 2024, we’ll have more than 75 Walmart Health centers across the United States. The first of the new Walmart Health centers will open in the first quarter of 2024. The specific growth locations include:

10 locations in Dallas, Texas metro area
8 locations in Houston, Texas metro area
6 locations in Phoenix, Ariz. metro area·
4 locations in Kansas City, Mo. metro area

Carmouche continued, "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. With these new locations, we will bring to life some of the feedback we’ve heard from listening to our patients. 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. We’ve also integrated modern equipment and technology to enable our providers and patients alike to experience best-in-class healthcare technology. This includes integrating Epic’s electronic health record system across our Walmart Health locations."

He also noted that one important element that will remain the same is the company's commitment to addressing a patient’s whole health needs, and that’s why the centers will continue to be staffed with qualified doctors, dentists, behavioral health specialists, community health workers and more.

"Last year, we opened our Fort Smith, Ark., center with a staff possessing a combined 325 years of experience in health care," he noted.

Pointing out that the cost and convenience of health care remains a barrier for many Americans, Carmouche said, "which is why we decided to bring our one-stop model of health care to these communities. With 90% of the U.S. population located within 10 miles of a Walmart, Walmart Health is in a unique position to provide quality, affordable health and wellness services where our neighbors already live and shop. Our patients come to us to receive high quality care that works for their schedule—and within their budget. And we hear from our providers that they enjoy the team-based approach to care that values all clinicians and enables them to practice at the very top of their license."

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