Walmart debuts first standalone health center facility

Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart is trying to develop a greater footprint within the health care industry with the opening of its first-ever standalone facility devoted to health and wellness.

The company announced that its new “Walmart Health” facility held its grand opening on Sept. 13 in Dallas, Ga. The 10,000-sq.-ft. facility offers an array of services — primary care, laboratory tests, X-rays and diagnostics, counseling, dental, optical, hearing, health insurance information and enrollment, and community health education with online education and in-center workshops — all under one roof. A second location, in Calhoun, Ga., is scheduled to open early next year.

Walmart Health is designed to provide “low, transparent pricing” for key health services, regardless of insurance status. Customers will be notified as to the estimated cost of their visit when they book their appointment.

The cost of services is detailed in a price sheet on Walmart’s website. A primary care office visit costs $40; annual checkups cost $30 for adults and $20 for youth; and flu, strep and mono tests cost $20 each. On the counseling side, new patient therapy intake is priced at $60, while individual (45-minute) counseling services for existing patients is $45.

“The customer is at the heart of everything we do, and that focus is reflected in the new Walmart Health center,” said Sean Slovenski, senior vice president and president of Walmart U.S. health and wellness. “For the past year, a team of healthcare experts and visionaries inside and outside of Walmart have been working hard to bring this concept to life in Georgia, and the journey we’ve been on is just the beginning as we aim to bring quality, accessible healthcare to our customers.”