In 2019, similar to national data, we found that approximately 50% of employees and their families did not see a primary care physician. And a large part of that gap was due to access. We reimagined what’s possible when it comes to unlocking ways for employees and their families to receive care wherever they are and when they need it.
Launched a virtual primary care pilot in three states in 2020 with the goal of reducing unnecessary hospital admissions and emergency room visits while continuing to build a better, more comprehensive healthcare experience Did. After its overall success, he expanded this virtual care pilot to 16 states, and again in 2023 to 21 states.
Here’s what we saw and learned during the pilot with our employees and their families:
- Approximately 33% were over 45 years old.
- Approximately 30% were seen for chronic disease or preventive treatment.
- Diabetic patients who used virtual primary care options saw an average reduction in HbA1c levels of 24%.
- Hypertensive patients had a 14% reduction in blood pressure.
- Total treatment costs are reduced by 11%.
Owen Tripp, CEO of Included Health, a healthcare partner for the expansion of virtual primary care, said the company’s vision to put primary care at people’s fingertips eliminates unnecessary costs. They agreed with our vision of reducing emissions and improving health outcomes at the same time.
“Over the past three and a half years, Walmart has been testing and validating the role of virtual care beyond simple ailment needs,” Owen said. “Despite national primary care shortages, rural health deserts and persistent price increases, Walmart continues to advance healthcare.”
We meet people where they are, while removing time, travel and cost barriers. After all, we provide affordable and accessible health care to our employees and their families. This ties into Walmart’s mission of helping people save money so they can live a better life.
*States included in the expansion: California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington, and Wyoming. All other states except Hawaii already offer this benefit.
**Employees and their dependents must be enrolled in a Walmart self-insured health plan.