Virtual healthcare takes many forms, which is a good thing because diverse patient communities cannot be served well by a single model. Whether you call it telehealthcare, telemedicine, or perhaps most accurately “remote healthcare,” distinct populations come with varying needs and challenges. We’ve written about Addison Caregivers‘ virtual caregivers for the elderly and chronically ill, for example. We also noted American Wells’ 2019 survey which indicated physicians show increased willingness to adopt telehealth.
CVS Health recently announced the expansion of its MinuteClinic virtual Video Visit program to Michigan, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. People can now seek care via Video Visits in 39 states for patients two years and older. CVS in-store MinuteClinics in 34 states offer in-store medical care for minor injuries, minor illnesses, screenings and monitoring, skin conditions, and more. The clinics accept most insurance plans, according to CVS.
MinuteClinic Video Visits do not require patients to leave home, a significant convenience for populations such as older people, parents with multiple children at home, homebound patients, and people who have limited access to transportation. CVS physicians are available 24/7 365 days a year with an average 20-minute wait time. CVS charges $59 per Video Visit, payable by credit, debit, FSA, and HSA cards. CVS does not currently accept insurance coverage for Video Visits but expects to add insurance coverage in the near future.
MinuteClinic Video Visits run on a Teladoc virtual care technology platform and patients can access the visits through computers or mobile devices, including the CVS Pharmacy app.
Greedy company! The virtual appointment is only good for very few conditions. They will take your money and and tell you to see someone else! Basically they steal from you if it is not on their short list of simple problems but they don’t tell you what that list is, they just steal your money and say they will review your complaint with NO follow up. Use it for a UTI and that’s about it
It sounds as if you have had a bad experience with telelhealth. The same can happen with an in-person visit with an internist or other doctor. Telehealth services have been a huge help to patients in this time of social distancing and isolation, and I believe that on balance, these services provide needed professional healthcare.
Having said that, it makes sense to do some research before you commit to any healthcare service, either in person or online. For example, Urgent Care centers can be very helpful, but there are limits to what services they will provide. Find out in advance what a given service can and cannot do for patients so that you know whether or not it is an appropriate option for your health issue.
All the best,
Alfred Poor
Editor, Health Tech Insider