I have posted a number of previous notes about the evolution of CVS's walk-in MinuteClinics that, along with urgent care centers, are having a significant impact on the first tier of healthcare (see, for example: Details about CVS' MinuteClinic POCT Strategy). The complexity of the services offered in these walk-in clinics continues to increase. For example, CVS has announced that their MinuteClinics will accommodate more patients with chronic diseases (see: Merged CVS and Aetna Will Move Toward a Community-Based Healthcare Model). Along these same lines, the company is now offering telemedicine (virtual care) visits 24 hours per day in collaboration with Teledoc (see: CVS Health’s MinuteClinic Introduces New Virtual Care Offering). Below is an excerpt from the article:
CVS Health...announced that MinuteClinic, the company’s retail medical clinic, is rolling out a new virtual health care offering for patients with minor illnesses and injuries, skin conditions and other wellness needs. MinuteClinic Video Visits, a telehealth offering, will provide patients with access to health care services 24 hours a day, seven days a week from their mobile device....Through this new telehealth offering, patients now have an additional option for seeking care that is even more convenient for them....Working collaboratively with Teladoc, the global leader in virtual care, and leveraging Teladoc’s technology platform, patients can receive care via a MinuteClinic Video Visit, initiated through the CVS Pharmacy app. Patients who opt to seek care through a fully customized MinuteClinic Video Visit experience the same high-quality, evidence-based care they receive at traditional MinuteClinic locations inside select CVS Pharmacy and Target stores.
Here's more details from the article:
A MinuteClinic Video Visit costs $59, which is currently payable by credit card or debit card. Insurance coverage will be added to the experience in the coming months. The service is currently available in nine states – Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire and Virginia – and Washington D.C. and is expected to be available nationwide, where allowed, by the end of 2018.
It's not clear in the press release whether MinuteClinics have only contracted for the Teledoc technology platform alone or also for the Teledoc physician providers. I suspect the latter because the service includes the writing of prescriptions during a virtual visit and most of the MinuteClnics are staffed by nurses with advanced training. Regardless, the entry of CVS/MinuteClinics into virtual care marks a significant move forward.
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