By: Laura Blanc

Laura Blanc — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 03:08:00 +0000

When I first read this headline, I thought to myself that we don’t need Walmart monopolizing another industry in our country. Walmart has replaced so many small businesses and sells basically any product or service you can think of. However, upon reading the articles in Forbes and The New York Times, I’m not sure that it’s such a bad thing that Walmart has been opening some primary care facilities. I don’t know how effective a large corporation can be at managing people’s chronic illnesses. Nevertheless, I think that this will be a great way to bring people to seek healthcare who would otherwise ignore their health problems, due to cost or inconvenience of finding a primary care provider. It is interesting that they are focusing their care around nurse practitioners. Although nurse practitioners are highly educated and qualified to write prescriptions and perform examinations, I feel as though patients might be reluctant to have a nurse practitioner as their primary care provider. Walmart should have a network of specialists that they are affiliated with so that they can refer their patients to a specialist if need be. I think the implications for Walmart employees are great. A few years ago, Walmart was notorious for their lack of employee benefits and low wages. With the opening of these clinics, Walmart will be able to keep their costs down while offering their employees decent healthcare for almost no cost. As stated in the Forbes article, Walmart employees will only pay $4 for a visit to the Walmart nurse practitioner. That will be tremendously helpful for the thousands of Walmart employees. A major healthcare issue is the lack of family health insurance plans that employers offer. I am curious if these low costs will apply to family members of Walmart employees as well. The price for a walk-in visit for non-employees without insurance is still fairly low. I looked at Walmart’s website today and they are advertising walk-in visits starting at $59. Additionally, the Walmart clinic will be open long hours and on weekends, which will benefit people who work 9-5, Monday-Friday. Although I am not a huge fan of Walmart, I know that accessible, affordable healthcare is such a problem in this country. As much as I hate to admit it, any step towards getting healthcare out to more people is a good thing.

Comments on: Walmart Enters Primary Care Role With Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinics

By: Laura Blanc