Retail giants once believed they could transform healthcare. But after investing billions in primary care clinics, they’re now pulling out—calling healthcare “an unsustainable business model.” Retailers cannot replicate the primary care experience despite the allure of retail convenience for healthcare delivery.
At the heart of the issue lies misaligned incentives. While retailers aimed to offer quick access to care, the financial and operational realities didn’t support long-term value. Unlike retail clinics, value-based care models succeed by aligning incentives between providers, employers, and patients, ensuring everyone works toward better outcomes at lower costs.
Still, the retail health experiment wasn’t a total loss. It highlighted the urgent need to modernize and reimagine primary care delivery and underscored how broken the traditional model has become.
Despite primary care’s proven role in reducing costs and improving health, Americans still struggle to access it. Wait times for appointments stretch for weeks or months. Care is often fragmented, lacking coordination between specialists and primary care physicians. Fee-for-service payment models force providers to prioritize patient volume over meaningful engagement, leading to burnout and workforce shortages.
Independent primary care providers (PCPs) face low reimbursement rates, while those doctors practicing in large health systems often see patient costs elevated over fees charged by independent practitioners. Physician staffing remains the most significant expense in primary care, and with fewer medical students choosing primary care, the pipeline of new providers is shrinking fast.
The APC Alternative
Advanced Primary Care (APC) is a holistic, sustainable alternative to existing primary models. It focuses on proactive, personalized care from a trusted care team—not a transactional, one-time visit in a retail setting.
Successful APC models deliver:
- Same or next-day appointments
- Unrestricted access to care without cost barriers
- Longer, more meaningful provider visits
- Care coordination across health needs
- Support from health coaches, nutritionists, and behavioral health experts
- Health navigation that steers patients toward the proper care at the right time
Importantly, APC aligns incentives through value-based care contracts that reward better outcomes—not higher patient volume.
At the center of APC is the relationship between patient and provider. However, the real strength lies in the broader care team. After the visit, care team members help reinforce treatment plans, guide lifestyle changes, and follow up to ensure patients don’t fall through the cracks.
This level of engagement helps prevent minor issues from becoming chronic conditions—driving better health and lower costs across the system.
APC and Employer-Provided Healthcare
Forward-thinking employers like JPMorgan Chase are partnering with healthcare organizations to offer APC directly to employees—bringing care closer to where people work and live. These programs improve access and outcomes and deliver personalized, data-driven care experiences.
Retail health may not have delivered its promise, but the experience offers valuable insights. Sustainable primary care requires aligned incentives, meaningful patient relationships, and a care model built around long-term health—not just convenience.
