Big box retail stores, supermarkets and retail pharmacies often offer access to in-store medical clinics. About 20 percent of consumers surveyed by HRI said that in the past several years, they have been to one of these clinics for care.
Health Retailers have an opportunity to use their consumer financial savvy to bring patients into the fold and keep them coming back, using reward programs and other strategies.
Health Retailers will continue to succeed if they strive to be a one-stop shop for consumers’ retail and health needs, even if reimbursement becomes more challenging. Retailers have a strength that most providers and insurers don’t: their deep understanding of consumer behavior and purchasing patterns, which can be used to anticipate and meet patients’ needs.
Many providers lack key capabilities that many Health Retailers possess, including online bill pay, modern facilities, a social media presence, online scheduling and digital product support. But price is a critical factor. Without consumers’ inherent trust, Health Retailers may have to make it worth their while in the one place that often matters most: their wallets.
For more information on emerging disruption of business models in healthcare, please read HRI's report, The New Health Economy in the age of disruption: Novel combinations attempt to remake the health system.