Starting December last year, shoppers at the Walmart in Milford, Delaware, found themselves able to tick off an unusual item from their shopping list alongside groceries and electronics: a mammogram. This became possible through a partnership between Walmart and the radiology service provider RadNet, leading to the inauguration of a mammogram center right within the store, named Mamography Now. This center welcomes walk-ins with or without appointments and doesn’t require a doctor’s referral, offering customers the convenience of undergoing breast cancer screening amidst their shopping. The center also boasts the option of utilizing AI technology to enhance screenings without prolonging the appointment time, promising the use of advanced image-reading techniques.
Delaware’s initiative is just the beginning, as Walmart plans to introduce more such centers across the country. With 90% of the U.S. population living within 10 miles of a Walmart, the company aims to make preventive healthcare more accessible. This move is especially significant for early breast cancer detection, which dramatically improves survival rates.
Walmart’s venture into healthcare isn’t new; it already offers pharmacy services, medical, dental, and behavioral health services through in-store clinics. These clinics, including the ones recently opened in Florida, are addressing the gap in primary care access and have proven to be financially successful for Walmart.
Other major retailers are also exploring healthcare services. For example, Kroger, America’s largest grocery chain, operates in-store clinics known as The Little Clinics and has recently shifted some towards serving primarily seniors in collaboration with the Better Health Group.
Walmart’s addition of mammogram services within its stores is seen as a strategic move to offer a broader range of healthcare services directly to its customers, enhancing convenience and potentially increasing its revenue in the healthcare sector.
