Table of Contents
WOONSOCKET, R.I. — CVS Health is offering customers who have downloaded the CVS Pharmacy app access to health care services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, from their mobile devices. MinuteClinic Video Visits are intended to meet the wellness needs of customers with minor illnesses, injuries and skin conditions, the company announced earlier this month.
“We’re excited to be able to bring this innovative care option to patients,” said Dr. Troy Brennan, executive vice president and chief medical officer of CVS Health. “At CVS Health, we’re committed to delivering high-quality care when and where our patients need it and at prices they can afford. Through this new telehealth offering, patients now have an additional option for seeking care that is even more convenient for them.”
CVS said its MinuteClinic unit has been testing telehealth as a method of increasing access to care. Nearly all CVS customers who have participated in a telehealth session are highly satisfied with the experience, the company said, citing a CVS Health study.
The company said it collaborated with Purchase, N.Y.-based Teladoc Inc. to develop a system that gives telehealth customers “the same high-quality, evidence-based care they receive at traditional MinuteClinic locations inside select CVS Pharmacy and Target stores.”
Video visits can be used to care for individuals age 2 and older who have completed a health questionnaire and are then matched to a health care provider licensed in their state who will review the completed questionnaire before proceeding with the video-enabled visit.
During a MinuteClinic Video Visit, the provider will assess the patient’s condition and determine the appropriate course of treatment following evidence-based clinical care guidelines, CVS said. For patients who require a prescription as part of their treatment plan, the provider will submit the prescription to the patient’s preferred pharmacy. If it is determined the patient should be seen in person for follow-up care or testing, the provider will recommend that the customer visit a health care provider in their community, such as their primary care provider or a nearby MinuteClinic.
A MinuteClinic Video Visit costs $59, payable by credit card or debit card. Insurance coverage will be added in the coming months, CVS said. The service is currently available in nine states: Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire and Virginia.
“As we continue to move the capabilities of virtual care forward, this is an exciting advancement,” said Jason Gorevic, Teladoc’s chief executive officer. “CVS Health’s expansion of their health care model to include video visits brings more care delivery options to patients, and Teladoc is proud to work with them on this offering.”
