Would it not be comforting to see your local doctor set up an office in a local Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) location? Instead of seeing simple health clinics with limited services, visiting a local Wal-Mart to have full-service medical services (outside of hospital services) seems like a great idea to many, including me. With health clinics showing up in discount retailers these days and taking business away from standalone doctor's offices and medical complexes, some doctors in Baltimore are fighting back -- by entering themselves into those same retailers. Hey, if you can't beat them, join them.

In Maryland, four clinics inside Target Corp. (NYSE: TGT) stores use licensed physicians as medical directors so that these doctors can gain relationships and insight into future off-site patients. In other words, retail is partnering with the medical community to allow shoppers access to actual doctors so when procedures above and beyond in-store clinics are needed, that shopper (patient) already has an established relationship with that doctor, but at his normal office.

This is a great turn and my guess is that this 'experiment' in Baltimore will filter out to more communities and retail locations in the U.S. in the next few years. It's kind of impossible to have full-service medical facilities inside retail locations, but having full medical expertise inside retailer is nothing but good for partner doctors and retailers as well. Having instant (as in, after hours) access to full medical expertise outside of the doctor's office would really bolster shopper relationships with retailers way stronger than simple health clinics with limited services. Wal-Mart and Target both should embrace this strategy fully, and quickly.