USA — Walmart, the retail giant with a global footprint spanning over 10,500 stores and e-commerce websites, has taken a significant step in improving the healthcare experience for its employees and their families across the United States.

Walmart boasts a massive workforce of 2.1 million globally, with 1.6 million based in the United States. Among these, approximately one million are enrolled in the company’s health plan.

The motivation behind this initiative is to tackle the challenge of limited access to primary care, a problem not only pertinent to Walmart but one that resonates with the broader population as well.

Previously, employees in 21 states had access to telehealth benefits through a provider called Included Health, which unveiled its virtual primary care service in 2020.

Walmart has now expanded this service in collaboration with Included Health, a virtual care and healthcare navigation company formed by the merger of Doctor on Demand and Grand Rounds in 2021.

This expanded virtual primary care offering includes a wide range of healthcare services such as preventive care, chronic disease management, mental health support, and even options for digestive health and physical therapy. In addition, basic at-home laboratory services will be available soon.

Owen Tripp, co-founder and CEO of Included Health, noted, “Against national primary and mental healthcare shortages and persistent healthcare price growth, Walmart has tested the role Virtual Primary Care can play in addressing some of our country’s most significant healthcare challenges.”

The move is a part of Walmart’s ongoing efforts to enhance the well-being of its employees.

Full-time employees and part-time workers who maintain an average of at least 30 hours per week qualify for enrolment in the company’s health plan.

The company’s health plan has been enhanced to encompass virtual mental health services, extending this valuable support to all employees and their families, irrespective of their enrolment status.

Walmart’s evolution in employee healthcare

Walmart recognized that prior to 2020, approximately half of its employees and their families were not receiving primary care due to a lack of access to providers, mirroring a national trend.

In 2016, Walmart began offering virtual healthcare options, starting with online urgent care and therapy services. In 2019, they introduced virtual psychiatry services with a US$4 co-pay.

In 2019, Walmart identified the issue of inadequate primary care utilization, especially due to limited access.

To address this, in January 2020, Walmart launched a pilot program for a no-copay virtual primary care service in three states, expanding to 21 states by 2023.

Clinical results from this pilot program demonstrated promising outcomes. Approximately 30% of virtual care patients engaged in the service for chronic disease management or preventive care.

Patients with diabetes using virtual primary care experienced a 24% average reduction in blood glucose levels, while hypertension patients saw a 14% reduction in blood pressure.

As patients increasingly seek preventive and chronic care through virtual means, the potential for cost savings is considerable. The pilot program already demonstrated an 11% reduction in the total cost of care.

Lisa Woods, Walmart’s Vice President of Physical and Emotional Wellbeing, acknowledged the significance of their vision for “primary care at people’s fingertips, no matter where they live, to improve health outcomes and reduce costs.”

Walmart not only offers virtual healthcare services to its employees but also extends telehealth services to consumers nationwide through its telehealth provider, MeMD, which it acquired in 2021.

MeMD launched the Walmart Health Virtual Care Diabetes Program, emphasizing personalized diabetes education and behavioral health counseling.

The initiative aligns with the growing trend of retailers delving into virtual healthcare. Last month, Costco partnered with the healthcare marketplace platform Sesame to provide outpatient healthcare services at a discount to its members.

These services include virtual primary care, health check-ups with laboratory panels, and virtual mental health therapy.

For Walmart, this expansion is vital for many of its employees who live in areas with a shortage of primary care providers, which, according to Lisa Woods, is a challenge faced by around 90,000 Walmart workers.

Last year, Walmart’s US health plan incurred more than US$6 billion in expenses, and with these new measures, the company anticipates saving nearly US$700 million.

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