Wal-Mart and Quest Diagnostics team up to offer in-store lab tests

by Talk Business & Politics staff ([email protected]) 413 views 

Wal-Mart Stores is partnering with Quest Diagnostics to offer blood tests and other lab work in a few of its stores by the end of this year.

The retailer tagged roughly 15 stores in Texas and Florida initially to offer the testing, but the centers may expand to include other basic healthcare services in time.

George Riedl, president of Walmart Health and Wellness, said Wal-Mart is a “one-stop shop” for everyday health and wellness needs.

“We look forward to working with Quest as we operate in an increasingly dynamic and consumer-centric health care environment,” he said.

The partnership with Quest is one of several the retail giant has formed with health service providers since 2014 when it began opening in-store primary care clinics with the help of QuadMed.

“By providing laboratory testing and healthcare services where people also shop, we will make it easier for Wal-Mart customers and their associates to get the quality diagnostic insights they need in convenient locations,” Quest CEO Steve Rusckowski said.

This is not the first time Quest has worked with a retailer to provide diagnostic lab services as it partnered with Safeway in 2015 in a similar venture.

Analysts see the move by Wal-Mart as another way to try and disrupt the broken healthcare model, ripe for the picking.

“We are proud to expand consumer access to healthcare through our work with Wal-Mart,” Rusckowski added.