last month that it would be shutting down its healthcare business, specifically by closing all 51 of its health centers across the country in addition to its virtual healthcare service. The press release discussed how although the company felt that it had made a significant impact during its time in the healthcare space, it ultimately “determined there is not a sustainable business model for to continue.
Although disappointing, the news of Walmart Health’s shutdown was not particularly surprising, given just how many organizations have gone through a variety of similar issues in tackling various aspects of the healthcare value chain over the past few years. In the context of telehealth services, Amazon shook the news-cycles when it announced in 2022 that it would be shutting down its Care initiative.
There are many other such examples, ranging from tapering down telehealth services to consolidating business entities, that are indicative of the broader state of healthcare and the challenges that new market-entrants face. One key reason boils down simply to the finances of healthcare.