Walmart Canada Opens Its First Pharmacy Clinic

Walmart Canada Opens Its First Pharmacy Clinic

Walmart has opened its first pharmacy clinic in Canada, joining a growing trend of drugstores and retailers providing medical services to take pressure off the country’s health care system.

The retailer said it launched the clinic at its Walmart Supercentre at 420 Vansickle Road in St. Catharines, Ontario, about an hour south of Toronto.

Pharmacies across the country are increasingly being allowed to bill provincial heath systems for some basic medical services normally provided by doctors.

“One in 5 Canadians don’t have a family doctor or nurse practitioner they see regularly. Our Walmart pharmacy clinics will help close this gap by becoming an easy access point for our pharmacists to provide non-urgent consultations and services beyond dispensing medications,” Alex Hurd, vice president of health services with Walmart Canada, said in a statement. “Our goal is to help ease the strain on emergency departments and traditional walk-in medical clinics.”

The new in-store clinic space will enable the retailer’s licensed pharmacists’ direct consultations and health care services within the expanded scope of the practice to the store, beyond dispensing medication via the pharmacy.

Walmart Canada said it plans to roll out more locations that are similar to walk-in medical clinics to give patients access to licensed pharmacists who can treat minor ailments such as urinary tract infections, cold sores, allergies and skin conditions.

The clinics also will conduct tests including blood pressure, HbA1C and cholesterol and offer medication management and support, the United States-based retail giant said. Patients can schedule an appointment online or walk in.

Walmart Canada has more than 400 stores nationwide and serves 1.5 million customers daily.

Walmart Canada this year announced plans to spend $6.5 billion to build stores and enhance its supply chain in the country.

Source CoStar. Click here for the full story.

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