Walmart opened 70 new HIV-focused specialty pharmacies in Colorado, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Florida in June and plans to expand the service's focus in 2024 to include autoimmune conditions.

WHY IT MATTERS

Walmart announced Tuesday it has added its Specialty Pharmacies of the Community inside select retail locations, because one in three people living with HIV in the United States does not receive regular HIV treatment.

"With 150 million people passing through our doors each week, we have a unique opportunity to reach people who might not otherwise have access to or feel comfortable seeking HIV care," said Kevin Host, senior vice president of Walmart health, wellness and pharmacy in the announcement.

The SPOCs – placed "discreetly" in Walmart pharmacies in locations where they will "make an impact among those who need it most" – are staffed by HIV-trained pharmacists, technicians and community health workers to help remove barriers to HIV care, Walmart said. 

The SPOCs provide people living with HIV the opportunity to discuss treatment options and mental health needs, access support resources and get help navigating insurance options.

THE LARGER TREND

The need for discreet access to HIV consultation and medication services has prompted new approaches, such as an HIV telehealth program in Kenya that provides information, self-test kits and medication guidance.

While providers, health systems and healthcare organizations have been focused on digital transformation, retailers have been building capabilities to capitalize "on the promise of commercialized healthcare," according to Laura Kreofsky, vice president of strategy at Pivot Point Consulting, a healthcare advisory company.

For Amazon, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart and others, the retail revolution offers an entry point into healthcare – the "the biggest industry in the world" – by leveraging their core service competencies, geography and technology, she said.

"For patients and consumers, the emergence of retail healthcare brings convenience and improved access, at a reasonable cost," she told Healthcare IT News last year. 

"These factors alone may ultimately lead to better outcomes in many cases."

ON THE RECORD

"Our pharmacists work with the patient’s prescribers to partner on a treatment plan that is best for them," said Aleata Postell, Walmart's senior director of specialty pharmacy business development, in the statement. 

"Our pharmacists are an integral part of a patient’s care team – and that’s exactly how our pharmacy teams are trained."

Andrea Fox is senior editor of Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.