Medical Center Hospital's first in-store clinic in an Odessa Walmart Supercenter to bring affordable health care to thousands of Ector County area residents.
On January 25, 2010 - Walmart and MCH ProCare will announced Odessa's newest offering of health care services - "The Clinic at Walmart" operated by MCH ProCare. This convenient care clinic will open January 25, 2010, in the Walmart supercenter located at 2450 NW Loop 338. The clinic will provide fast, affordable access to basic health care services such as check-ups, immunizations, screenings and minor injuries. The walk-in health clinic is the first to be owned and operated by MCH ProCare in a Texas Walmart. The clinic will be open for walk-in service Monday through Saturday from 8am to 7pm and Sunday from 11am to 7pm.
For busy customers who are seeking affordable, accessible health care, especially during evening hours or on weekends, clinics play a key role in the health care system. These clinics can help keep people out of overcrowded emergency rooms - 10 to 15 percent of clinic customers surveyed said they would have used an emergency room had the clinic in Walmart not been available, while another 5 to 10 percent would have gone without treatment entirely, potentially leading to more serious complications down the road*.
"By joining with Walmart to operate "The Clinic at Walmart," Medical Center Hospital through its affiliate MCH Professional Care is one step closer to ensuring the health and wellness of our community," said Bill Webster, MCH Chief Executive Officer. "Our clinic is staffed with licensed health care providers, even on nights and weekends, so families can receive quality care without a long wait. It also helps ease the burden on our emergency rooms, which aren't designed to treat everyday illnesses like sore throats."
MCH ProCare employs both hospital-based and clinic-based providers. MCH ProCare's mission is to establish and maintain a network of highly skilled providers dedicated to meeting the healthcare needs of Medical Center Hospital's service area. With the addition of "The Clinic at Walmart," MCH ProCare will be able to continue to serve residents in Ector County and surrounding communities with that same exceptional care in a convenient location with extended hours of operation.
"We are constantly looking for ways to add value for our customers and, with this clinic, we hope to provide MCH ProCare customers with affordable, accessible and convenient health care," said Bruce Shepard, Walmart's director of health business development. "And because MCH ProCare is a well-known and respected health care provider in the community, our customers will benefit from the convenience of prompt, professional care from an organization that they know and trust."
In addition to enhancing the 'one-stop shopping' experience for customers, The Clinic at Walmart offers prompt access to affordably priced acute and preventive care for common health ailments treatable without urgent or emergency care, including sore throats, sinus infections, upper respiratory infections, earaches, bladder infections, insect bites and stings, cholesterol screening, blood sugar testing, vaccinations, drug screening and routine physicals.
With the opening of this clinic, there will be 67 in-store clinics in Walmart stores across 15 states. For further information about "The Clinic at Walmart", please visit www.walmart.com/clinics.
* Survey results based on an exit survey of 14, 479 patients following visits to a clinic in Walmart between January 2006 and November 2006. Surveys were conducted by the clinic operators.
About MCH Professional Care MCH ProCare, an entity affiliated with Medical Center Hospital of Odessa, Texas, employs both hospital-based and clinic-based providers. MCH ProCare's mission is to establish and maintain a network of highly skilled providers dedicated to meeting the healthcare needs of Medical Center Hospital's service area.
About Walmart
Every week, millions of customers visit Walmart stores, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam's Club locations across America or log on to its online store at www.walmart.com. The company and its Foundation are committed to a philosophy of giving back locally. Walmart (NYSE: WMT) is proud to support the causes that are important to customers and associates right in their own neighborhoods, and last year gave more than $378 million to local communities in the United States. More information about Walmart can be found by visiting www.walmartstores.com.
