Walmart has announced the closure of all Walmart Health centers and Walmart Health Virtual Care services, marking the end of a 5-year journey. The decision comes as the company found the health care business model unsustainable due to challenging reimbursement environments and escalating operating costs, according to a press release from Walmart.

With 51 health centers across 5 states set to close, Walmart noted the company's commitment to ensuring impacted communities, patients, associates, and providers are supported throughout the transition process. While specific closure dates are yet to be determined, the company pledges to communicate them promptly.

Walmart will continue to offer health and wellness services through its network of nearly 4,600 pharmacies and over 3,000 Vision Centers. Walmart's pharmacies will continue to provide services such as immunizations, testing and treatment, specialty pharmacy medication access, medication therapy management, and various health screenings, according to the press release.

The company's optical business is also evolving, with Walmart recently acquiring more than 200 Vision Centers and introducing innovative tools like virtual try-on capabilities for glasses. Walmart plans to continue innovating and expanding its core businesses while launching new services like the Walmart Healthcare Research Institute and health programs to complement its existing offerings.