ATLANTA — Walmart announced on Tuesday that it's closing its health centers and virtual care service. The decision will impact 17 Walmart Health centers across the Peach State.
In 2019, the retail giant said it launched Walmart Health with the first center in Bentonville, Arkansas.
However, Walmart officials determined it is "not a sustainable business model for us to continue."
In total, 51 health centers across five states will shut down.
"We understand this change affects lives – the patients who receive care, the associates and providers who deliver care and the communities who supported us along the way," officials said in a news release. "This is a difficult decision, and like others, the challenging reimbursement environment and escalating operating costs create a lack of profitability that make the care business unsustainable for us at this time."
In Georgia, 17 health centers will be impacted in the following cities below:
"Our priority will be ensuring the people and communities who are impacted are treated with the utmost respect, compassion and support throughout the transition," officials said in the release.
Walmart does not yet have a specific date for each center's closure, but officials said they will share an update as soon as the decision is made.
"We are deeply grateful to these associates and providers for their caring service to patients in our communities and to the patients who trusted us with their care," officials added.
The retailer said it will still continue to operate it's early 4,600 pharmacies and more than 3,000 vision centers across the U.S.
To read Walmart's full news release on its health centers closing, click here.