Walmart Health rolls out virtual diabetes program as retail giant moves deeper into treating chronic conditions

Building on its acquisition of telehealth provider MeMD last year, Walmart Health is rolling out a virtual care diabetes program for employers and payers.

Rising rates of diabetes are costly for employers. Fewer than 20% of people with diabetes in the United States meet recommended treatment management goals, costing employers more than $20 billion per year, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

More than 37 million Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes, and its prevalence is expected to grow 54% by 2030.

Walmart's telehealth provider, MeMD, is rolling out the virtual diabetes program as a standalone service or as part of a comprehensive medical and behavioral telehealth program for enterprise customers and health plans. The retail giant collaborated with the American Diabetes Association on the virtual program, which was developed to help employees and members close gaps in diabetes management through early intervention, Walmart Health executives said.

“Our aim is to empower patients with the most up-to-date diabetes education and clinical care so they can take control of their health. Our program focuses on a patient’s physical and mental health, which also helps employers maintain healthier workforces and drive down overall healthcare costs," said John Wigneswaran, M.D., Walmart’s chief medical officer, in a statement.

The integrated telehealth solution merges personalized diabetes education with behavioral health awareness and counseling. As part of the program, members participate in an initial consultation with a licensed medical provider to discuss patient history, eating habits and more, looking to identify gaps in care, depression risks and schedule a follow-up visit with licensed behavioral health therapists to address each area with a focus on mental health management, according to the company.

“Failure to meet recommended treatment goals results in an extra five and a half days of missed work per person, according to the NIH, along with an increased risk of hospitalization,” Wigneswaran said. “This is compounded by the fact that patients with diabetes are two to three times more likely to have depression than those without diabetes, and addressing mental health is critical to caring for the whole patient.”

Walmart Health also offers patients access to vaccinations, low-cost insulin and diabetes medications at more than 4,600 of its pharmacies nationwide. The retail giant offers a $4 generic prescription program and low-cost ReliOn insulin, as well as test kits and supplies. 

“Diabetes is the third most common chronic condition in the nation, yet despite being highly manageable, it requires a concerted daily effort by patients to control a host of variables from managing blood glucose and insulin delivery to staying on top of blood pressure and cholesterol levels,” said David Carmouche, M.D., Walmart’s senior vice president of omnichannel care in a statement. “Through the Walmart Health Virtual Care Diabetes Program, our goal is to help break down barriers to effective care management in a way that empowers patients to take charge of their wellness.”

Walmart, the largest retailer in the world, has been stepping up its focus on healthcare and made a splash more on 20020 as it opened the first of its Walmart Health clinics in Georgia.

Walmart Health has been expanding its brick-and-mortar clinics and operates about 20 in-person locations across Georgia, Arkansas, Illinois and Florida, with locations attached to its supercenter stores. These health centers offer a slew of services at a flat fee, including primary care and dental care as well as labs and imaging. The company just opened five new clinics in Florida and also rolled out its new tech stack, born from its partnership with Epic.

Last year, Walmart went all-in on telehealth with its acquisition of MeMD to expand its Walmart Health service across the country.

Diabetes management has become a massive market with more players taking digital approaches.

Robert Gabbay, M.D., chief scientific and medical officer for the American Diabetes Association said the partnership with Walmart Health helps to increase education and access to clinical care to more effectively manage diabetes.

“We know the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted routine diabetes care, so it’s important to plug back in and make your health and diabetes management a priority. With proper care and management, you have the power to prevent or delay diabetes complications," Gabbay said.