The Clinic at Walmart Operated by St. Vincent Provides Convenient, Affordable Care on Arkansas Medical News Inc.

The Clinic at Walmart Operated by St. Vincent Provides Convenient, Affordable Care

By: BECKY GILLETTE

Now, at some Walmart Supercenters in Arkansas, in addition to being able to buy food and clothing, or having a flat tire fixed, you can also see a healthcare professional with no appointment and at a cost averaging $65 or less.

The shortage of primary care physicians in Arkansas means there is a huge underserved population. The Clinic at Walmart, operated by St. Vincent, is helping meet that need by providing access to healthcare from Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) under the supervision of collaborative physicians.

The state’s first Clinic at Walmart opened in late 2009. Now there are four in the state located in Bryant, Chenal, Maumelle and Sherwood.

People who possibly wouldn’t go to a doctor will go to The Clinic at Walmart, said Jeff Carfagno, MD, a family practice doctor who is a collaborative physician working with two APNs at The Clinic at Walmart in Maumelle.

“Some people don’t have insurance or they have huge deductibles, so being able to get healthcare at a reasonable cost is important to them,” Carfagno said. “They also may not be seriously ill, so they might otherwise put off getting medical help. It is convenient as people don’t have to make an appointment, and can stop by the clinic while they are at Walmart for other things.”

When people stop by to get a flu shot or possibly check on a sore that won’t heal, APNs may find other, more serious problems.

“Sometimes the nurses pick up on something more important than what the patient came in for,” Carfagno said. “The patient may have high blood pressure or diabetes. Major problems later on can be prevented if these conditions are picked up early and treated properly. It is a good screening tool for the general population. I can’t imagine a future without something like this. I think the healthcare profession is going use a lot of nurse practitioners going forward.”

The Clinic is also a benefit for people who need help right away, and for people who prefer to go to an after hours clinic so they don’t have to take time off work. Wait times average only 15 minutes, and it is far less expensive than going to a crowded emergency room.

Patients at The Clinic seem very satisfied with the care they receive. Carfagno said the patients don’t have unrealistic expectations, and are often surprised at the level of professional care they receive.

“It is a good win-win thing for everyone,” he said. “It is not expensive, and patients aren’t subject to a bait-and-switch where they go in and then are told to get a lot of expensive ancillary studies like x-rays and lab work they don’t need.”

Margaret Preston Dedman, spokeswoman for St. Vincent’s, said patient satisfaction has been consistently high.

“They are pleased with the convenience of the locations and the hours,” she said. “There is a fast turn-around time from walking in to walking out, and the cost is affordable.”

What about concerns about drawing people who might have viruses to Walmart where shoppers could be exposed? Dedman said the clinics are located near the front door of each Walmart store, and offer fast service and privacy.

“We all encounter ill individuals in our stores, schools, and workplace,” Dedman said.

Dedman said while St. Vincent may choose to open additional clinics in the future, there are no current plans to do so.

John Agwunobi, MD, president of Walmart’s health and wellness division, said The Clinic at Walmart’s convenient hours, up-front price transparency and walk-in service are all designed to affordably extend the care and service of local healthcare providers.

“We believe America’s healthcare challenges are larger than any individual corporation,” Agwunobi said. “But through medical clinics in our stores, we’re committed to meeting our customers in each stage of their lives with affordable and accessible solutions. We’ve connected with trusted local and regional healthcare providers to offer the quality and convenience customers deserve. We are confident that our model of partnership with hospital systems will provide access to quality healthcare services for folks who don’t want to wait in a busy emergency room or can’t get in to see their physicians.”

According to a Rand Corp. study published in 2009, retail medical clinics can provide care for routine illnesses at a lower cost and similar quality as offered in physician offices, urgent care clinics, and emergency rooms.

The Clinics at Walmart operated by St. Vincent are open for walk-in service seven days a week, including evenings and weekends, and treat patients age 18 months and older. Routine “get well” and “preventive” visits typically cost $50 to $65.

Mercy Health System also operates a Clinic at Walmart that opened recently in Berryville.