stoweboyd:

futuramb:

Walmart shoppers may soon be able to get a physical or have an allergy test after picking up their groceries if the big-box retailer gets its way.

The nation’s largest retailer sent out a request for potential partners last month that would help the store become “the largest provider of primary care services in the nation,” according to NPR and Kaiser Health News. Walmart sent the request — which indicates that the store plans to offer services ranging from vaccinations to urine tests — during the same week the retail giant said it would cut health benefits for part-time workers, according to NPR.

This is an early sign of what I have predicted for some time. The IKEA-fication of health care – but I should maybe now change it to Walmartization of health care.

What we see is the first stage of this development when successful companies who are really good at administration, economy and organization are starting to apply their knowledge to health care. The natural next step happens when the health care knowledge is “sufficiently” embedded in cheap and available equipment which people can use on their own or maybe with the support of a semi-professional staff. What happens then is that traditional businesses can enter health care without having to apply to the health regulations. Then it will really pick up speed.

This lines up with Wal-mart’s growth in ‘unbanking’ as those that are marginal users of traditional banks shift to cash-based services. The traditional institutions — banking, hospitals, insurance companies — are going to soon lose whatever trust and loyalty they once commanded.

My son, Conrad, mentioned that it reminds him of Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash, where the government has ceded most of its functions to private corporations. In our case, instead of the government providing universal health care, people will buy it discount at Sam’s Club.