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Walmart gets serious about healthcare clinics

8/11/2015

Bentonville, Ark. -- A pioneer in retail clinics has joined the nation’s largest retailer.



Sandra Ryan has accepted a position with Walmart to lead the chain’s Care Clinic business, Drug Store News has learned, in a move that suggests the world's largest retailer is ready to make some major moves in the retail clinic space.



Ryan will assume the new role of VP Walmart Care Clinics, Health & Wellness Division in what suggests a new role that suggest the world’s largest retailer is ready to make some major moves.



Walmart has been quietly piloting its Care Clinic model, with 17 clinic openings in 2014 across several markets, including Texas, Georgia and South Carolina.



Walmart's model goes beyond basic acute care and offers more services expected from a primary care provider, such as wellness and preventive care and management of chronic conditions. The fact that Walmart has tapped an executive of Ryan's stature may mean the mass retailer is ready to create some major disruption in the healthcare delivery marketplace.



Ryan was the former chief nurse practitioner officer for Take Care/Walgreens Healthcare Clinic and was part of Take Care's original leadership team.



Ryan most recently served as chief clinical officer for CareCam Health Systems where she oversaw all clinical aspects of the company. Prior to joining CareCam, Ryan was one of six founding officers at Take Care Health Systems and was the first chief nurse practitioner officer in the convenient care industry. At Take Care Health Systems, she led nearly 1,500 board-certified nurse practitioners and physician assistants who practice at over 400 Take Care Clinics at Walgreens drug stores in 35 markets in 19 states.



Ryan oversaw clinical and operational leadership for the business while working closely with Walgreens’ chief medical officer in such areas as clinical governance, research and quality initiatives. Ryan played an integral role in the development and implementation of integrated technology, quality assurance programs, and evidenced-based guidelines and led efforts on legislative issues that prevent access to care while promoting the role and visibility of the nurse practitioner.


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