May 19, 2021
Walmart Health and MeMD, a multi-specialty telemedicine provider, have entered into an agreement for Walmart Health to acquire MeMD, according to reporting by Vision Monday.
This proposed deal will “reinforce Walmart’s commitment to integrated, omnichannel health delivery that leverages data and technology to improve engagement, health equity and outcomes,” the recent announcement noted. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Walmart Health, which debuted in September 2019, is designed to be a “first-of-its-kind health center to deliver primary care, vision care, urgent care, labs, dental, hearing, counseling, x-ray and diagnostics services all in one facility at affordable, transparent pricing regardless of a patient’s insurance status.”
The Walmart Health facilities are staffed by qualified medical professionals, including optometrists, physicians, nurse practitioners, dentists and behavioral health providers.
A Walmart spokesman told VMAIL that there are currently 20 Walmart Health Centers in operation in three states.
In terms of the MeMD acquisition, Walmart said that it will, over the coming months, allow Walmart Health to provide access to virtual care across the nation, including urgent, behavioral and primary care, complementing its in-person Walmart Health centers. The company declined to provide further information about plans for incorporating telemedicine into its health offering.
“Telehealth offers a great opportunity to expand access and reach consumers where they are and complements our brick-and-mortar Walmart Health locations,” Walmart’s Dr. Cheryl Pegus, executive vice president, health & wellness, said. “Today people expect omnichannel access to care, and adding telehealth to our Walmart Health care strategies allows us to provide in-person and digital care across our multiple assets and solutions,” she said.
“Our health & wellness mission is to focus on the consumer’s seamless experience and improved health. We are excited to welcome MeMD employees to the Walmart family, and we are looking forward to together, accelerating healthcare access across the country,” she added.
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MeMD was founded in 2010 by Dr. John Shufeldt to provide virtual care nationwide, leveraging the latest online technologies to deliver high-quality care “24/7/365” in a convenient and accessible manner. MeMD delivers medical and mental health visits to millions of members nationwide.
“We’ve achieved incredible strides in making healthcare available to individuals and businesses around the country through our easy, affordable and intuitive online platform. We can’t imagine a better partner than Walmart as we are both committed to innovative healthcare delivery and bringing affordable, high-quality care to as many people as possible,” said MeMD CEO Bill Goodwin.
“MeMD’s mission fits perfectly with Walmart’s dedicated focus to help people save money and live better, and now we can impact millions more by being part of Walmart.”
The acquisition, which is subject to regulatory approval, is expected to close in the coming months, according to Walmart.