Wal-Mart Stores has announced that they will open retail health clinics in up to 2,000 stores over the next five years or so. Wal-Mart already has walk-in medical clinics in 75 stores across 12 states. Retail health clinics provide unmatched convenience. Wal-Mart's clinics offers walk-in appointments seven days a week. Nurse practitioners deliver preventive and routine care for $45 to $65 per visit.

I'm sure this is a good business opportunity for Wal-Mart, but there's no denying they are providing a service to customers in an underserved portion of the communities in which they operate. Most retail clinic customers are uninsured and in some cases would have used an hospital emergency room otherwise.