CVS Health https://www.cvshealth.com through their Minute Clinics is now offering virtual health care to patients with minor illnesses and injuries, skin conditions, and other wellness needs to enable patients obtain healthcare services 24/7 from their mobile devices.
Minute Clinic has been testing telehealth as a method to increase access to care in recent years. During the initial phase of testing, a CVS Health study found that 95 percent of patients who opted to receive a telehealth visit were highly satisfied with the quality of care they received and satisfied with the convenience of using the telehealth service.
Minute Clinic is using Teladoc’s https://www.teledoc.com technology platform, which enables patients to receive care via a Minute Clinic video visit initiated through the CVS Pharmacy app. Video visits are used for patients two years and up who are seeking care.
Each patient needs to complete a health questionnaire and matched to a board-certified healthcare provider licensed in their state. At this point, the healthcare provider will review the completed questionnaire containing the patient’s medical history and proceed with the video visit.
During the video visit, the provider will assess the patient’s condition to determine the appropriate course of treatment following evidence-based clinical care guidelines. 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 that the patient should be seen in person for follow-up care or testing, the provider will recommend that the patient visit a healthcare provider in their community or go to a nearby Minute Clinic for an in person visit.
The Minute Clinic Video Visit costs $59 which is payable by credit or debit card. Insurance coverage will be added to the video visit in the coming months. Video visits are currently available in Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire, and Washington D.C. Video visits are expected to be available nationwide where allowed by the end of 2018.