Virtual Healthcare Expands Access To Many Types Of Care

Virtual healthcare — just one component of digitally enabled healthcare — extends beyond just convenience. Virtual care has many different faces, with a wide range of applications across a broad spectrum of healthcare services. From remote consultations about urgent care needs to primary care visits and annual preventive wellness visits, virtual healthcare has revolutionized the way people access and receive medical care. 

Reduce Healthcare Gaps With Virtual Care

Over the past five years, the number of employers considering the addition of a new insurance benefit to their changing plan design strategies has almost doubled, and many employers remain concerned about controlling rising healthcare costs. According to the same source, approximately two-thirds of employers are considering enhancements to their benefits offerings to attract and retain top talent.

One option employers could consider is the addition of virtual care, or platforms which provide employees with virtual care access, like Anthem’s  Sydney^SM Health app. By giving your employees convenient access to a wide variety of health resources at different price points, you could reduce healthcare costs, absenteeism, and even employee turnover. Employers increasingly recognize virtual care as a powerful tool for making healthcare easily accessible at any place or time.

Every employee takes a different path along their health journey. To address their unique needs, digital tools like Sydney Health facilitate access to both virtual and in-person care that is tailored to the individual. Features like the award-winning Find Care tool and its Personalized Match feature use data to proactively connect employees to care providers that meet their specific needs while also balancing cost, quality, and other factors. Predictive analytics help surface these recommendations to employees before they even realize they need it. 

Integrating data with insights also helps drive proactive support and personalized recommendations. Bringing smart technology together with expert care providers and compassionate advocates can help lower costs, while at the same time increasing access to various treatment options.

The Many Dimensions Of Virtual Healthcare 

Virtual care can help at every step of a person’s health journey, driving positive health outcomes and creating a sustainable path for long-term well-being. Remote consultations mean employees no longer need to travel or take time off for appointments. Consumers do not have to limit themselves to providers in close geographic proximity and may instead select doctors who are well-aligned in terms of expertise and specialties. Here are a few of the ways virtual healthcare can provide convenient and accessible healthcare to your employees:

1.      Virtual Care Reduces Costs And Time

Virtual care options make routine primary care — including checkups, prescription management, lab screenings, and follow-up visits — easier to perform virtually without logistical constraints, so individuals can access care regularly and consistently. Virtual care also makes it easier to stay on top of health concerns, and earlier interventions can help offset long-term health issues and reduce costs.

For urgent and acute care situations, virtual healthcare can be used for initial assessments and triage, with no appointment necessary and no more waiting for weeks (while conditions may worsen) to see a care provider.

Virtual appointments can also reduce unnecessary emergency room visits. Or, if an emergency visit is warranted, many follow-up visits can be performed remotely using telehealth. Hundreds of conditions can now be handled virtually, including cold and flu, sore throat and strep throat, chicken pox, ear infections, earaches, swimmer’s ear, stomach ailments, seasonal allergies, sinus infections, pink eye, skin conditions, urinary tract infections, or bladder infections.

2.      Remote Health Monitoring Is Easier Than Ever

Remote health monitoring increases access to care for people living in rural areas or without reliable transportation. And it can be especially helpful for people with chronic health conditions. For example, people with diabetes or heart conditions can use remote monitoring devices to track biometric data like blood sugar levels, blood pressure, or heart rate. Devices can transmit real-time data to care providers, who can then make recommendations and adjustments tailored to each person’s specific health needs.

3.      Mental Health Support Provides Convenience And Privacy

Mental healthcare can be performed wherever a person is most comfortable, virtually expanding access to providers that meet unique employee preferences. Whether from the comfort of their own home or the convenience of a lunch break, employees can readily access counseling and therapy to help keep their behavioral health in a good place.

4.      Maternity Care Offers Growing Families Care Options

Maternity care — from prenatal to early parenthood needs — can often be handled virtually, allowing pregnant people easier access and access in rural areas to fetal development monitoring, education to prepare for birth and beyond, and postpartum checkups. Access to regular care can promote better whole-health outcomes for the entire family.

5.      Prescription Management Is Streamlined And Automated

Medication management can be simplified with medication trackers, reminders, and on-demand support if side effects arise. Your employees can also use virtual care to schedule automatic refills and prescription deliveries, so they never run out of the medicines they need.

Virtual healthcare provides numerous benefits, including expanded access to health resources, improved convenience, and increased cost savings. It’s a powerful tool for those unable to seek care due to geography, mobility issues, or other circumstances. Virtual care is a growing space that's set to become a cornerstone of the future of healthcare and a valuable addition to any employer’s suite of benefits.

Sydney Health is offered through an arrangement with Carelon Digital Platforms, a separate company offering mobile application services on behalf of your health plan. © 2023

The Virtual Primary Care experience is offered through an arrangement with Hydrogen Health.