As more retailers lose their enthusiasm for primary care and urgent care services, traditional provider organizations still are in no position to ignore the market share that retailers may potentially gain. Kaufman Hall’s recent newsletter notes: “If these retailers want to find success in primary care, partnering with traditional providers could be a beneficial opportunity for all parties.” With retail clinics as a convenient front door, health systems and payers with provider assets could leverage them as a network lure. For example, Humana’s CenterWell clinics are now moving into 23 former Walmart Health Center locations under lease agreements, aiming for the Medicare Advantage market. There’s no lack of experimentation among disrupters, and meeting consumer preferences makes all the difference.
Market exits aplenty: This year, Walmart unplugged its virtual care and closed all of its 51 health clinics. CVS is possibly considering a breakup of the company’s lines of business (including health insurance giant Aetna that it acquired 6 years ago for $70 billion), and Walgreens is steadily shuttering VillageMD clinics in select sites.
Read More
- Humana Takes Over Walmart Clinics
- Here We Go Again: Walmart Takes Another Run at Succeeding as a Healthcare Destination
- Walmart Gives Up on Health Clinics and Virtual Care
- Are Food/Drug Retailers Hiding their Retail Clinic “Failures?”