Walmart”s reach expanded into health care Monday.
North Mississippi Health Services opened an office inside the Columbus Walmart. The walk-in clinic, which does not make appointments, will be staffed by two nurse practitioners attending to all manner of acute, short-term illnesses, including allergies, flu, cold, strep, pink eye and poison ivy. The clinic will also offer vaccinations such as tetanus, pneumonia and influenza.
Karen Windle, office manager for North Mississippi Clinics in Columbus, said the clinic is more than a novelty.
“We only have a few primary care physicians in our area and as busy as this Columbus Walmart was, we decided this would be a good starting place. We need more doctors in this area. We have a few clinics locally, Dr. Buckley and Dr. Stanback, and all of those physicians are overwhelmed by patients so we felt this was a perfect fit to relieve some of that burden,” she said.
The clinic will also remain open later than most doctor”s offices. It”s hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.
This isn”t Walmart”s first partnership with a health-care facility, but the clinic is the first of its kind in Mississippi, Alabama or Tennessee. And due to the Columbus Walmart”s proximity to the Alabama state line, the clinic will accept Alabama Medicaid in addition to most health insurance.
“We”re actually applying to be in everybody”s network,” said Windle. “It”s probably going to be a few weeks but we have applied for everything. There”s not anything that”s off limits.”
The clinic”s two nurse practitioners will be in regular contact with a team of three primary care physicians. The nurses will write referrals for any patient who requires more care than the clinic can provide and Windle says the goal is to get those patients seen at an affiliated clinic that same day.
Walmart co-manager Gary Otts said the clinic makes the store more of a one-stop convenience than ever.
“It helps to have a place where customers as well as (Walmart) associates can come in. It”s good for the community because they can come and do their shopping as well as have a pharmacy right next door to get all medical services at their convenience,” he said.
Jason Browne was previously a reporter for The Dispatch.
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