NORWALK, Conn. — Information and imaging technology giant Xerox is making an investment in telehealth provider HealthSpot Inc.
Xerox said Wednesday that its investment will enable HealthSpot to leverage Xerox’s relationships across the health care sector and spur the deployment of the innovative telehealth stations to a range of locations nationwide. The dollar amount of the investment wasn’t disclosed.
Over the next five years, HealthSpot plans to roll out its 40-square-foot kiosks to retail pharmacies, large employers, long-term care centers and emergency departments. Late last week, the company announced a pilot of its telehealth stations at Rite Aid drug stores in several Ohio markets.
"Telehealth is recognized as a solution for access, but to become a true extension of traditional health care requires more than just a mobile app and a videoconference with patients. We need an integrated and secure IT offering that is scalable, and our Xerox partnership will do just that," stated Steve Cashman, chief executive officer of Dublin, Ohio-based HealthSpot. "Xerox is a dominant leader in health care services today, reaching two out of every three U.S.-insured patients and working with most U.S. states. Together with providers, payers and a powerful IT foundation, we will bring patients the evolution in care that they’ve long been waiting for."
HealthSpot stations connect consumers with medical providers via high-definition videoconferencing and interactive medical devices that stream biomedical information in real time. Patients sit at a desk inside the station and interact with the health provider via a videoconference screen and a touchscreen. Devices include a thermometer, stethoscope, otoscope, pulse oximeter, blood pressure cuff and a scale. Outside the station is an attendant desk with a laptop and printer, as well as a kiosk with digital signage, a check-in touchscreen and a card reader.
On average, a visit takes 15 minutes. Customers can be treated for minor and common health conditions, including cold and flu, rashes and skin conditions, eye conditions, earaches and seasonal allergies. A record of the visit is maintained, and a prescription also can be created at the station.
Through proprietary, cloud-based telemedicine software, the HealthSpot platform allows patients to interact with nationally recognized doctors.
"HealthSpot is at the center of health care’s shift to a patient-centered model of care, and our investment in the company demonstrates Xerox’s commitment to transforming traditional health care into a high-value delivery system for patients, providers and payers," stated Connie Harvey, chief operating officer of commercial health care for Xerox. "By combining the HealthSpot platform with our powerful brand and more than 40 years of health care experience, we’re helping patients unlock affordable access to care while positioning Xerox to play a significant role in the future of health care."
Xerox is also partnering with HealthSpot to combine its software platform with Xerox’s business process services expertise. As the exclusive BPO provider, Xerox will deliver cloud hosting, system integration, claims eligibility and claims submissions solutions. The kiosk will use Xerox’s IT infrastructure for appointment booking as an interface to electronic health records and for insurance coordination.
