Becker's ASC Review

7 ASC MANAGEMENT Walmart physician-led clinics gain steam: 10 things to know By Laura Dyrda W almart is positioned to become an even stronger force in health- care going forward, according to a new CNBC report. Here are 10 things to know about the com- pany's growth: 1. As of December 2020, Walmart had 15 physician-run clinic locations in the U.S. with plans to add at least seven more in 2021. 2. Ninety percent of Americans live within 10 miles of a Walmart store. Clinics offer walk-in appointments and extended hours. 3. A primary care office visit costs $40 at a Walmart clinic. e company provides annual check ups to adults for $30 and chil- dren for $20, regardless of insurance status. 4. Walmart health clinics include primary care physicians, dentists, audiologists, optometrists and mental health counselors. e clinics also offer services including X-ray imaging, diagnostic tests and drug screening. 5. ere is a high cost to running physician- led clinics. Walmart's overall success has been due to hiring several low-paid workers at their stores, according to CNBC, which might not be possible as it expands. e average wage for a family physician in the U.S. is $213,000. 6. In 2019, Walmart partnered with Ar- kansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield to use a "quality assessment filter" to select and partner with physicians in gastroenterology, orthopedics and more. 7. Walmart has a successful pharmacy business with around 15,000 pharmacists on staff as of 2019. It is No. 3 in the retail pharmacy space behind CVS and Walgreens. 8. More than 1 million Americans, including workers and families, had medical benefits through Walmart as of October 2019. 9. As of December 2020, the company had more than 600 COVID-19 testing sites that tested hundreds of thousands of people. e company is also administering the COVID-19 vaccine. 10. In the 2020 fiscal year, Walmart reported $37.8 billion in net sales for its health and wellness division. "Healthcare is notoriously complex," retail healthcare consultant James Gardner said in the CNBC report. "If you think about the delivery of care, there is so much of a personal touch required that it doesn't lend itself to Walmart's style of efficiencies. ere has always been skepticism about Walmart's ability to provide the high-quality care experience, nevermind profitability, and nevermind that at a national scale." n Louisiana cardiology ASC completes 1st procedure By Eric Oliver I nterventional cardiologist Craig Walker, MD, completed the first outpatient pro- cedure at Houma, La.-based Cardiovas- cular Institute of the South's new ASC, Vascu- lar Disease Management reported Jan. 5. The cardiology-focused ASC in Gray, La., is the first of its kind in the region. The center has two catheterization laborato- ries and an attached cardiovascular clinic for follow-up care. Dr. Walker founded Cardiovascular Institute of the South in 1983. He said, "It has been my life's mission to return home to South Louisiana to establish a world-class cardio- vascular program for our area." He called the surgery center the latest mile- stone in that mission. The center anticipates completing 10 proce- dures during its first operational week. n EyeSouth Partners expands into Ohio, Kentucky By Eric Oliver A tlanta-based EyeSouth Partners entered into a strategic part- nership with Decatur-based Georgia Ophthalmology Associ- ates to expand its presence in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Here's what you should know: 1. EyeSouth is a physician services organization backed by a private equity firm. EyeSouth has an affiliate network of 30 physicians and 20 clinical sites throughout Georgia. 2. Stephen Leff, MD, founded Georgia Ophthalmology Associates in 1978. His practice has grown to four physicians with two locations in Decatur and Snellville, Ga., since then. 3. Operations at Georgia Ophthalmology Associates will continue as normal, with no notable changes. Gayle Goldstein, MD, of Georgia Ophthalmology Associates said, "I am excited to embark upon our next phase of growth with the sup- port of EyeSouth. The partnership will enable us to further execute our strategy of optimizing our patient experience through our commitment to clinical quality, cutting edge technologies, industry- leading physician expertise and best-in-class administrative support. We have always loved practicing in a very personal manner and will continue to maintain close relationships with our patients and their referring doctors." n

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