Dialing up telehealth

Another critical lever in the drive to lower costs and expand access to quality care is the telehealth model.



“Average telehealth costs are $40 to $50 compared to $136 to $176 for a related in-person visit, while the most common diagnoses made during telehealth visits are sinusitis, cold, flu, pertussis and urinary tract infections,” according to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation April 2015 report, “Building a culture of health: The value proposition.”

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In July, the HealthSpot telehealth station went live in 25 Rite Aid stores in Ohio, in the Akron/Canton, Cleveland and Dayton/Springfield markets.



In December 2014, Walgreens and MDLive first introduced their joint telehealth venture, initially launching in California and Michigan. According to Forbes, the two plan to have the service available in 25 states by the end of the year.