Best printers for Home

Best Mixer Grinder

Best wired Earphones

Best 43 Inch TV in India

Best Wi Fi Routers

Best Home Theatre in India

Smart Watch under 5000

Best Laptops for Education

Best Laptop for Students

<p><em>This is an excerpt from a story delivered exclusively to Business Insider Intelligence Digital Health Briefing subscribers. To receive the full story plus other insights each morning, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/digital-health?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=content_marketing&amp;itm_campaign=briefing_post&amp;itm_content=top_text&amp;itm_term=bundle_subscription_text_link-doctor-on-demand-synapse-platform-update-2019-2">click here</a>.</em></p><p>US telemedicine provider Doctor On Demand updated its virtual care platform to help payers address gaps in primary care access and ultimately lower member healthcare costs, according to a company press release shared with Business Insider Intelligence.</p><p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right no-rightrail"><div><div class="image"></div></div></div></p><p>The platform, called Synapse, includes new offerings that Doctor On Demand's health insurer and employer clients can integrate into their health insurance coverage to lower costs:</p><ul><li>A new feature that guides members to in-network services should help payers reduce member dissatisfaction from unanticipated costs. Keeping consumers in-network should be an important value-add for Doctor on Demand's payer customers: Nearly <a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/16127603.1369/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L3VuaXRlZGhlYWx0aGNhcmUtdW52ZWlscy1uZXctZGlnaXRhbC1oZWFsdGgtZmVhdHVyZXMtY21zLWV4cGFuZHMtbWVkaWNhcmUtdGVsZWhlYWx0aC1zcXVhcmUtd2VpZ2hzLWxhcmdlci1yb2xlLWluLWhlYWx0aC1wYXltZW50cy0yMDE4LTEw/5bc4a934678089748b04a3b4B4f878b56" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://e.businessinsider.com/click/16127603.1369/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L3VuaXRlZGhlYWx0aGNhcmUtdW52ZWlscy1uZXctZGlnaXRhbC1oZWFsdGgtZmVhdHVyZXMtY21zLWV4cGFuZHMtbWVkaWNhcmUtdGVsZWhlYWx0aC1zcXVhcmUtd2VpZ2hzLWxhcmdlci1yb2xlLWluLWhlYWx0aC1wYXltZW50cy0yMDE4LTEw/5bc4a934678089748b04a3b4B4f878b56&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1551357148549000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGztI3H9rN3qXEGI_4UUAjdaAHz0A">20%</a> of inpatient admissions among people with large employer-sponsored insurance include a claim from an out-of-network provider. Moreover, out-of-network claims can lead to surprise medical bills for consumers, which might drag on member satisfaction: Of the 57% of US adults that have received a medical bill they thought was covered by insurance, 86% of respondents say insurers are "very" or "somewhat" responsible.</li><li>And new virtual preventative health and chronic disease management services should help payers reduce costs associated with poor access to care. By adding these services, Doctor On Demand essentially widens its addressable audience and increases the likelihood consumers will opt for virtual over traditional care for a given condition. Further, making it easier for consumers to access primary care could help mitigate costs associated with a lack of preventative care: The US healthcare industry could save $67 billion annually if every US consumer accessed primary care services, Doctor On Demand CEO Hill Ferguson shared with Business Insider Intelligence.</li></ul><p>Shifts in consumer preferences and the structure of employer benefits indicate Doctor On Demand's emphasis on virtual primary care should pay off. Recent data shows younger generations are more likely to be<span> </span><a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/16127603.1369/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L21pbGxlbm5pYWxzLWdlbi16LXVwZW5kaW5nLXRyYWRpdGlvbmFsLWhlYWx0aGNhcmUtdXMtZ292ZXJubWVudC1tYW5kYXRlcy1oZWFsdGgtZGF0YS1zaGFyaW5nLWZkYS1tdWxscy1ibG9ja2NoYWluLXRvLXRyYWNrLWRydWdzLTIwMTktMg/5bc4a934678089748b04a3b4Bbd4a6572" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://e.businessinsider.com/click/16127603.1369/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L21pbGxlbm5pYWxzLWdlbi16LXVwZW5kaW5nLXRyYWRpdGlvbmFsLWhlYWx0aGNhcmUtdXMtZ292ZXJubWVudC1tYW5kYXRlcy1oZWFsdGgtZGF0YS1zaGFyaW5nLWZkYS1tdWxscy1ibG9ja2NoYWluLXRvLXRyYWNrLWRydWdzLTIwMTktMg/5bc4a934678089748b04a3b4Bbd4a6572&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1551357148549000&amp;usg=AFQjCNGNFScF5vTHhY87fwfS9crb28c_sw">dissatisfied</a><span> </span>with traditional healthcare, are less likely to<span> </span><a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/16127603.1369/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L2hhbGYtb2YtbWlsbGVubmlhbHMtZG9udC1oYXZlLWEtcHJpbWFyeS1jYXJlLXBoeXNpY2lhbi0yMDE4LTEw/5bc4a934678089748b04a3b4B39cc60db" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://e.businessinsider.com/click/16127603.1369/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L2hhbGYtb2YtbWlsbGVubmlhbHMtZG9udC1oYXZlLWEtcHJpbWFyeS1jYXJlLXBoeXNpY2lhbi0yMDE4LTEw/5bc4a934678089748b04a3b4B39cc60db&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1551357148549000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFInMgt-q05WVQJPqTki-IpyawI0A">have</a><span> </span>a primary care physician, and are more likely to favor digital care services.</p><p>Moreover, more employers are investing in telemedicine:<span> </span><a href="https://e.businessinsider.com/click/16127603.1369/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L3Zhc3QtbWFqb3JpdHktb2YtZW1wbG95ZXJzLW9mLXRlbGVtZWRpY2luZS1hcHBsZS13YXRjaC1tYXktdGFja2xlLWJsb29kLXByZXNzdXJlLW5leHQtMjAxOC0xMA/5bc4a934678089748b04a3b4Bf484f070" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://e.businessinsider.com/click/16127603.1369/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlbGxpZ2VuY2UuYnVzaW5lc3NpbnNpZGVyLmNvbS9wb3N0L3Zhc3QtbWFqb3JpdHktb2YtZW1wbG95ZXJzLW9mLXRlbGVtZWRpY2luZS1hcHBsZS13YXRjaC1tYXktdGFja2xlLWJsb29kLXByZXNzdXJlLW5leHQtMjAxOC0xMA/5bc4a934678089748b04a3b4Bf484f070&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1551357148549000&amp;usg=AFQjCNFanDcBUptiqfHgmx5-_n0I5S6MdQ">74%</a><span> </span>of US firms with 200 or more employees offered telemedicine as a health plan benefit in 2018, up from 27% in 2015. These signs suggest Doctor On Demand should see increased demand from consumers and payer clients following its renewed emphasis on virtual primary care.</p><p><em><strong>Interested in getting the full story? Here are two ways to get access: </strong></em></p><p>1. Sign up for the Digital Health Briefing to get it delivered to your inbox 4x a week. &gt;&gt; <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/newsletter-membership/?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=content_marketing&amp;itm_campaign=briefing_post&amp;itm_content=get_started_text&amp;itm_term=bii_briefing_text_link-doctor-on-demand-synapse-platform-update-2019-2&amp;vertical=digitalhealth">Get Started</a></p><p>2. Subscribe to a <em><strong>Premium</strong></em> pass to Business Insider Intelligence and gain immediate access to the Digital Health Briefing, plus more than 250 other expertly researched reports. As an added bonus, you'll also gain access to all future reports and daily newsletters to ensure you stay ahead of the curve and benefit personally and professionally. &gt;&gt; <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/digital-health?IR=T&amp;itm_source=businessinsider&amp;itm_medium=content_marketing&amp;itm_campaign=briefing_post&amp;itm_content=learn_more_text&amp;itm_term=bundle_subscription_text_link-doctor-on-demand-synapse-platform-update-2019-2">Learn More Now</a></p><p class="tagline"><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/intelligence/top-5-trends-shaping-the-future-of-digital-health?IR=T&amp;utm_source=businessinsider&amp;utm_medium=ctgr&amp;utm_term=ctgr_leadgen&amp;utm_content=digitalhealth_ctgr_leadgen&amp;utm_campaign=digitalhealth_ctgr_leadgen_5-trends"></a></p>

Doctor On Demand is expanding its virtual care platform

<p>Hello,</p><p>Phew, what a way to start the week. We on the <keyword id="6354525" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="healthcare">healthcare</keyword> desk have been spending most of our waking hours thinking of all the implications of <keyword id="44612" type="CITY" weightage="60" keywordseo="Pfizer">Pfizer</keyword>'s announcement that its <keyword id="24209" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="vaccine">vaccine</keyword> works at preventing COVID-19. </p><p>It was my first day waking up in Mountain Time (I've landed in Denver!), and let me tell you, I'm hoping there won't be too many more 4:30 a.m. days in my future. </p><p>Today in healthcare news: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-know-about-first-effective-coronavirus-vaccine-pfizer-2020-11">7 things to know about yesterday's vaccine news</a>, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/health-insurer-harvard-pilgrim-launches-virtual-primary-care-plan-2020-11">health insurers are forming new types of health plans that makes it cheaper for patients to see doctors online</a>, and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/infectious-disease-expert-on-waiting-on-pfizers-vaccine-data-2020-11">why a top infectious disease expert thinks it's too early to celebrate a vaccine win just yet. </a></p><p>Plus: on Monday, the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/eli-lilly-covid-antibody-treatment-authorized-emergency-use-trump-coronavirus-2020-10">Food and Drug Administration gave an emergency authorization to Eli Lilly's COVID-19 antibody drug treatment,</a> now titled "bamlanivimab," a name that seemed to spark <a href="https://twitter.com/AdamWeinstein/status/1325961639598944256">some good jokes on Twitter</a>.</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-to-know-about-first-effective-coronavirus-vaccine-pfizer-2020-11"><div type="image" title="GettyImages 1229305135" height="1333" width="1778" msid="79153931" hostid="261"></div></a></p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insider-pfizer-biontech-historic-coronavirus-vaccine-program-2020-11">How the pharma giant Pfizer teamed up with a little-known biotech to develop an effective coronavirus vaccine in record time</a></h3><ul><li>The giant drugmaker Pfizer and German biotech BioNTech have <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pfizer-coronavirus-vaccine-success-plans-for-emergency-approval-fda-2020-9">developed the world's first effective coronavirus vaccine</a>.</li><li>The COVID-19 shot marks an unprecedented scientific accomplishment: crafting and testing a vaccine in record time. Vaccine research has historically been a multi-year process. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insider-pfizer-biontech-historic-coronavirus-vaccine-program-2020-11">Here's how Pfizer and BioNTech did it, and what comes next. </a></li></ul><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/insider-pfizer-biontech-historic-coronavirus-vaccine-program-2020-11"><strong>Read the full story from Andrew Dunn here&gt;&gt;</strong></a></p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/health-insurer-harvard-pilgrim-launches-virtual-primary-care-plan-2020-11"><div type="image" title="telemedicine virtual doctor's appointment" height="1080" width="1440" msid="79153936" hostid="261"></div></a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/health-insurer-harvard-pilgrim-launches-virtual-primary-care-plan-2020-11">Health insurers are creating a new kind of plan that makes it cheaper for patients to see doctors online, and it shows how the pandemic is reshaping the future of healthcare</a></h3><ul><li>New England insurer Harvard Pilgrim Health Care is partnering with <keyword id="7528713" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Doctor-on-demand">Doctor On Demand</keyword> to launch a new kind of health plan that encourages members to get virtual primary care.</li><li>The new Harvard Pilgrim plan will be offered to large employers in Connecticut and will cost about 5% to 10% less than other plans with similar designs.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/health-insurer-harvard-pilgrim-launches-virtual-primary-care-plan-2020-11">Humana, Walmart and other health insurers have previously launched virtual primary-care plans and programs for their members or employees.</a></li></ul><p><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/health-insurer-harvard-pilgrim-launches-virtual-primary-care-plan-2020-11">Read the full story from Shelby Livingston here&gt;&gt;</a></strong></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/infectious-disease-expert-on-waiting-on-pfizers-vaccine-data-2020-11"><div type="image" title="covid vaccine" height="2513" width="3351" msid="79153940" hostid="261"></div></a></p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/infectious-disease-expert-on-waiting-on-pfizers-vaccine-data-2020-11">Why a top infectious-disease expert says it's too soon to celebrate Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine</a></h3><ul><li>Pfizer's coronavirus-vaccine candidate succeeded in the last stage of clinical trials, the New York drugmaker said Monday.</li><li>While Pfizer said the results showed its vaccine was more than 90% effective at preventing COVID-19, the company did not release data from the interim analysis.</li><li>William Haseltine, a longtime biotech executive and infectious-disease expert, told Business Insider that while this was "very welcome news," he also wanted to see the data.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/infectious-disease-expert-on-waiting-on-pfizers-vaccine-data-2020-11">"There are many, many outstanding questions which are left unanswered," Haseltine said.</a></li></ul><p><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/infectious-disease-expert-on-waiting-on-pfizers-vaccine-data-2020-11">Read the full story from Andrew Dunn here&gt;&gt;</a></strong></p><p><strong>More stories we're reading:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/elections/2020/11/09/biden-covid-19-task-force-includes-trump-whistleblower-rick-bright/6218601002/">Who's involved in Biden's COVID-19 task force</a> (USA Today)</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/heres-what-a-future-covid-19-will-cost-americans-2020-11">We're getting closer to an effective COVID-19 vaccine. Here's what it will cost to get a shot.</a> (Business Insider)</li><li><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/hhs-secretary-coronavirus-general-vaccination-programs-spring-n1247232">HHS Secretary Alex Azar said he expects to have enough COVID-19 vaccines for "general vaccination programs" by spring 2021</a> (NBC News) </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-pfizer-coronavirus-vaccine-compares-other-vaccines-2020-11">Pfizer says its coronavirus vaccine is 90% effective. Here's how that compares to shots for the flu, measles, and more.</a> (Business Insider)</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/unanswered-questions-about-pfizers-coronavirus-vaccine-what-we-dont-know-2020-11">7 unanswered questions about Pfizer's promising coronavirus vaccine</a> (Business Insider)</li></ul><p>New newsletter alert! My colleagues are launching a "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/newsletter-sign-up-10-things-politics-today-2020-11">10 Things in Politics You Need to Know Today</a>" newsletter, filled with all the politics news, analysis, and scoops you might need in your inbox every morning. <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/10-things-in-politics">Sign up for the 10 Things in Politics newsletter here</a>. </p><p>- Lydia</p>

How a giant pharma company and a little-known biotech teamed up to create the first coronavirus vaccine

<p>Hello,</p><p>Welcome to Insider <keyword id="6354525" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="healthcare">Healthcare</keyword>. I'm Lydia Ramsey Pflanzer, and today in healthcare news:</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grand-rounds-doctor-on-demand-are-acquiring-included-health-2021-5">Grand Rounds and Doctor on Demand are buying startup Included Health</a>;</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prescription-video-game-maker-akili-raises-160m-series-d-2021-5">Akili just raised $160 million - but it still hasn't won over insurers for its video-game digital therapeutic</a>;</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ultra-maskers-keep-wearing-masks-after-vaccine-pandemic-ends-2021-5"></a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/home-care-industry-franchises-pulling-out-all-stops-in-hiring-2021-5">All the ways home care agencies are trying to recruit more workers.</a></li></ul><p>If you're new to this newsletter, <a href="http://newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/newsletter.businessinsider.com/join/4np/insider-healthcare">sign up here.</a> Comments, tips? Email me at <a href="mailto:lramsey@insider.com">lramsey@insider.com</a> or tweet <a href="https://twitter.com/lydiaramsey125">@lydiaramsey125</a>. Let's get to it...</p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grand-rounds-doctor-on-demand-are-acquiring-included-health-2021-5"></a></p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grand-rounds-doctor-on-demand-are-acquiring-included-health-2021-5">Grand Rounds and Doctor On Demand are acquiring a little-known startup that's taking a new approach to LGBTQ-friendly healthcare</a></h3><ul><li><keyword id="9937434" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="grand-rounds">Grand Rounds</keyword> Health and <keyword id="7528713" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="Doctor-on-demand">Doctor On Demand</keyword> are acquiring <keyword id="11326548" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="included-health">Included Health</keyword>, the companies told Insider.</li><li>Included helps LGBTQ+ people navigate the healthcare system and avoid discrimination.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grand-rounds-doctor-on-demand-are-acquiring-included-health-2021-5">The deal is part of an M&amp;A frenzy in digital health, and shows companies are committed to diversity and inclusion</a>.</li></ul><p><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grand-rounds-doctor-on-demand-are-acquiring-included-health-2021-5">Read the exclusive here&gt;&gt;</a></strong></p><p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prescription-video-game-maker-akili-raises-160m-series-d-2021-5"><div type="image" title="Akili Interactive" height="3840" width="5119" msid="82975167" hostid="261"></div></a></p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prescription-video-game-maker-akili-raises-160m-series-d-2021-5">Investors just poured $160 million into prescription video-game startup Akili. But it's still figuring out how to get insurers on board.</a></h3><ul><li>Akili is the first company to launch a video game that can be prescribed by doctors. </li><li>The startup raised $110 million from investors and $50 million in credit from Silicon Valley Bank. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prescription-video-game-maker-akili-raises-160m-series-d-2021-5">It plans to use the money on its first rollout, which has been slow due to wary insurance companies.</a></li></ul><p><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prescription-video-game-maker-akili-raises-160m-series-d-2021-5">Get the full scoop here&gt;&gt;</a></strong></p><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/home-care-industry-franchises-pulling-out-all-stops-in-hiring-2021-5"><div type="image" title="Personal care aides" height="3367" width="4490" msid="82975173" hostid="261"></div></a></h3><h3><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/home-care-industry-franchises-pulling-out-all-stops-in-hiring-2021-5">From guaranteeing full-time work to giving out gas cards, the shorthanded home-care industry is pulling out all the stops to hire more caregivers</a></h3><ul><li>2021's tighter labor market has hit the home-care industry particularly hard.</li><li>In response, its employers are using hiring tactics like sign-on bonuses to get workers on board.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/home-care-industry-franchises-pulling-out-all-stops-in-hiring-2021-5">Long-term retention relies on new caregivers understanding the significance of their work.</a></li></ul><p><strong><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/home-care-industry-franchises-pulling-out-all-stops-in-hiring-2021-5">Here are all the ways home care companies are working to win over workers&gt;&gt;</a></strong></p><p><strong>More stories we're reading:</strong></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/moderna-covid-vaccine-teens-reactions-2021-5">Teens in Moderna's vaccine trial share their experiences and mild side effects as data show the shot is effective in younger people</a> (Insider)</li><li><a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-05-25/weight-loss-app-noom-gets-540-million-in-silver-lake-led-round">Weight loss startup Noom just raised $540 million as it expands into areas likes sleep and stress management</a> (Bloomberg)</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/breakthrough-coronavirus-caes-after-vaccines-variants-cdc-2021-5">Breakthrough coronavirus cases after vaccines are very rare and mostly due to variants, a new CDC report found</a> (Insider)</li><li><a href="https://www.statnews.com/2021/05/25/its-not-a-cure-a-gene-therapy-is-opening-a-new-chapter-for-children-but-challenges-endure/">What it's like growing up after receiving a cutting-edge gene therapy</a> (Stat News) </li></ul><p>- Lydia</p>

Grand Rounds strikes another deal

<p><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/future-of-healthcare"></a></p><div type="image" title="Computer with an Oscar virtual primary-care doctor on the screen" height="894" width="1600" msid="86820455" hostid="261"></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Many insurers and <keyword id="12003791" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="telehealth" source="Orion">telehealth</keyword> companies launched virtual primary-care programs amid the pandemic.</li><li>Some say they're starting to see promising results, like improved health outcomes and lower costs.</li><li>They're betting that the future of primary care is virtual.  </li></ul><p>Virtual primary care may be more than a pandemic-era fad.</p><p>Over the past couple of years, health insurers like <keyword id="12258949" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="humana" source="Orion">Humana</keyword>, <keyword id="12258947" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="oscar-health" source="Orion">Oscar Health</keyword>, and UnitedHealthcare, and telehealth companies like <keyword id="12258948" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="doctor-on-demand" source="Orion">Doctor on Demand</keyword> and Teladoc, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/health-insurer-harvard-pilgrim-launches-virtual-primary-care-plan-2020-11">launched health plans and programs that encourage patients to see a primary-care doctor online.</a></p><p>In some cases, these programs were in the works before the COVID-19 pandemic, but the crisis spurred companies to roll them out faster to give patients a safe, convenient way to get care when in-person options were limited.</p><p>Now, the companies that spearheaded virtual primary care say there are signs it will remain a fixture in <keyword id="11897506" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="healthcare" source="Orion">healthcare</keyword> going forward.</p><p>Insurers and telehealth vendors are starting to see promising early results, like improved health outcomes and lower costs, that they say signals the future of primary care is virtual.</p><div type="image" title="Headshot of Marianna Spanos, vice president of virtual care at Oscar Health" height="1200" width="1200" msid="86820457" hostid="261"></div><p>"There's a new norm being established for what it means to have convenient access to high-quality care, and providers who are actually invested in your health and wellbeing long-term," Marianna Spanos, vice president of <keyword id="12258946" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="virtual-care" source="Orion">virtual care</keyword> at Oscar Health, said.</p><p>Some data suggests that companies that provide health coverage to their workers are rapidly adopting health plans that encourage patients to seek virtual care.</p><p>A September Credit Suisse survey of more than 400 health-benefit managers at companies across the country found that 15% of them plan to offer a virtual-first health plan to workers in 2022, and another 20% are interested in exploring the option. They said they expect virtual-first plans could save them about 6% in health-plan costs, the survey found.</p><p>That's a pretty good acceptance rate for such a new option, considering many companies tend to wait for a new product to take hold in a market before offering it to their own employees, said Credit Suisse analyst AJ Rice.</p><h2><strong>Oscar said virtual care accounts for up to 20% of all primary care in some markets</strong></h2><p>New York-based <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-insurance-startup-oscar-health-could-finally-turn-a-profit-2021-2">Oscar Health</a> piloted its virtual primary-care plans in 2019 and 2020 before launching them more broadly to commercially insured individuals and families in January 2021. The plans allow people to opt for primary care online at no cost.</p><p>Spanos said she's encouraged by early results. Many of the people who have signed up for the program didn't have a primary-care doctor before or were looking for a new one, she said, and Oscar's data shows they are using it to establish ongoing relationships with a doctor - not for a second opinion or to supplement other care. The members opting to go virtual span all age groups, she said.</p><p>In some of Oscar's markets, virtual providers represent 15% to 20% of all primary-care use among the health insurer's members, she said. She declined to give specific enrollment numbers.</p><p>Early data also shows that emergency department spending among people using virtual primary care is about 13% lower than spending among other people enrolled in the plan who aren't using the program, after adjusting for age and severity of conditions, Spanos said.</p><h2><strong>Doctor On Demand and Humana said virtual primary care is leading to lower costs</strong></h2><p><strong><div type="image" title="Doctor On Demand" height="3744" width="5616" msid="86820459" hostid="261"></div></strong></p><p>Doctor On Demand, which partners with employers and health insurers like Humana to offer virtual primary care, has also found that it's resonating with patients and lowering their costs.</p><p>Robin Glass, the president of the telehealth company, told Insider that the number of people served by the company's virtual primary-care practice has grown nine-fold since it launched in 2019, though she declined to say exactly how many people the practice serves.</p><p>The company's data shows that members are seeing their virtual primary-care doctors more than two times each on average, and those repeat visits are translating to better outcomes and lower costs.  </p><p>For one of its health plan clients, unnecessary medical visits dropped 24% across the virtual primary-care membership, Glass said. For that health plan, the cost of care for members who had at least one visit with the virtual-care team dropped 35%, Glass said.</p><p>"We are feeling really bullish about how the model is working," Glass said.</p><p>Humana, which launched its virtual primary-care plan with Doctor on Demand in 2019, said early results show members using the program have significantly lower costs than those who aren't engaged with it, a company spokesperson said. The spokesperson declined to provide more detail on how many people have enrolled in the plan or their costs.        </p><p>But Christopher Hunter, president of the insurer's group and military business, said at Humana's investor day in June that the plan is "really taking off."</p><p>Humana first piloted the plan to small companies in Florida and Texas that provide health coverage to their employees. It's since expanded the program to a total 15 states and to larger companies, the spokesperson told Insider. It's planning to launch a version of the virtual primary-care plan for its own workers this month, the spokesperson said.</p><h2><strong>More companies are launching virtual primary-care programs</strong></h2><p>In another sign that the movement toward virtual primary care isn't going away, more health insurers, including Aetna and regional insurer CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, have unveiled programs giving patients options to get their routine care online.</p><p>Baltimore-based CareFirst unveiled a new virtual primary-care medical practice last month called CloseKnit aimed at commercial members who don't see a regular doctor for reasons like long wait times for appointments, or limited hours, said Mary Jane Favazza, CEO of CloseKnit.</p><p>Favazza said the goal in opening the practice is that it leads to more rational use of the healthcare system among those patients that previously didn't have a primary-care doctor. People with primary-care doctors tend to get just the right amount of care at the right time, leading to higher quality and lower costs, she said.</p><p>For virtual primary care to last, companies will need to deliver on lowering costs, said Jonathan Bush, executive chairman of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/firefly-health-wants-to-transform-healthcare-for-small-companies-2021-10">Firefly Health, a virtual-care startup that's expanding into health benefits</a> for small companies. The perk of convenience isn't enough. </p><p>"The key is taking the big giant pretrial offer that everybody got thanks to COVID and turning it into something monetarily, spiritually, clinically, emotionally better," Bush said. "If you don't create economic value, it ain't gonna stick."</p>

Seeing a primary-care doctor online is getting easier, and health insurers say it's saving money

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right click-to-enlarge"><div class="image on-image"><a title_source="Flickr/libertygrace0" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="https://static-ssl.businessinsider.com/image/52a757f3ecad04206ca3e542-960/doctors-4.png"><span class="sprites click-to-enlarge-icon" title="Click to enlarge"></span></a><p class="source"><span><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/35168673@N03/3726556961/">Flickr/libertygrace0</a></span></p></div><p></p></div><a href="http://www.doctorondemand.com/overview/" target="_blank">Doctor On Demand</a>, a startup that lets users video chat with U.S.-certified doctors, just raised $21 million and announced its first major corporate deal. </p>
<p>The idea is that next time you think you might have a sinus infection, you can avoid spending an hour or two in the waiting room for a last-minute appointment, and opt instead for a hassle-free video chat with a doctor. </p>
<p><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 1.5em;">You pay a flat fee of $40 for each 15 minutes spent chatting with a physician, who can diagnose your issue, prescribe you simple medication, advise your next actions, or simply ease your fears.<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/doctors-on-demand-medical-app-2013-12#doctors-on-demand-is-available-for-iphone-or-android-1" target="_blank"></a></span></p>
<p>No crowded office visit required.</p>
<p>Since Doctor on Demand launched in late 2013, it has signed on more than 1,400 doctors and just inked a deal with Comcast to integrate its services with the company's benefits plan. </p>
<p>Co-founder Adam Jackson told Business Insider that Doctor On Demand plans to use the fresh funding partially to expand its enterprise sales team. He thinks its secret sauce is that it doesn't charge companies that it partners with a per-employee per-month fee, unlike other startups in the space. </p>
<p>"Employers love Doctor On Demand, because it reduces sick days, and makes their employees happier and gets them better sooner," Jackson says, "Because we can give them direct access to medical care instantly."</p>
<p>Although 15 minutes may not sound like a long time to chat with a doctor, Jackson said that most calls only take between nine or ten minutes to resolve. He says that the most common reaction he gets from patients is, "Wow, I can't believe that actually worked." </p>
<p>The interesting backstory of the startup?</p>
<p>Jackson's co-founder, Jay McGraw, knows the medical profession from the entertainment side. He's the executive producer of TV show <a href="http://www.thedoctorstv.com/" target="_blank">The </a><a href="http://www.thedoctorstv.com/" target="_blank">Doctors</a> and his dad is Dr. Phil.</p>
<p>Venrock led Doctor On Demand's $21 million round, joined by Shasta Ventures and angel investor Sir Richard Branson. The company has raised $23 million to-date.</p>

A Startup That Wants You To Ditch Waiting Rooms Forever Just Raised $21 Million 

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image"><p class="source">Doctors On Demand </p></div><p></p></div>A new app just launched that wants to save you from spending an hour or two in the waiting room next time you might have a sinus infection. </p>
<p><a href="http://www.doctorondemand.com/overview/" target="_blank">Doctors On Demand</a>, available for <a href="https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.doctorondemand.android.patient&amp;hl=en" target="_blank">Android</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/doctor-on-demand/id591981144?mt=8" target="_blank">iPhone</a>, lets users video chat with U.S.-certified doctors on their smartphones or tablets.</p>
<p><a href="##slideshow##" target="_blank">Explore the app right now&gt;&gt;</a></p>
<p>For $40, you can spend 15 minutes chatting with a psych ian who can diagnose your issue, prescribe you simple medication, advise your next actions, or simply ease your fears.</p>
<p>No crowded office visit required.</p>
<p>Doctors On Demand, which raised $3 million earlier this year from the likes of Andreessen Horowitz, Google Ventures, and Venrock, currently partners with 1,000 doctors across the country. Jackson said that he wants the company to modernize the healthcare system by using mobile technology to make a simple doctor's visit more convenient and stress-free for patients and doctor's alike. </p>
<p>Although 15 minutes may not sound like a long time to chat, Jackson said that, in testing, most calls only took between seven and nine minutes to resolve. If patients have a healthcare plan that gives them a health care spending account or flexible spending, they can use that to pay the $40 fee. Otherwise, they can pay with any major credit card.</p>
<p>The interesting backstory of this app?</p>
<p>Jackson's co-founder, Jay McGraw, knows the medical profession from the entertainment side. He's the executive producer of TV show <em><a href="http://www.thedoctorstv.com/" target="_blank">The </a><a href="http://www.thedoctorstv.com/" target="_blank">Doctors</a> </em>and his dad is Dr. Phil.</p>

There's A New App That Will Let You Have A Real Doctor's Appointment Using Video Chat On Your Smartphone

<p><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table float_right"><div><div class="image on-image"></div><p></p></div></div>Going to the doctor's office is expensive.</p><p>Not only is there the cost of co-pays, but the cost of traveling to the office and the time taken out of the day to do so can add up.</p><p>In a lot of cases checking in on minor issues, like a rash or nausea, doesn't even require the doctor to look at the symptom and listen to the patient.</p><p>What if you could cut out the office visit?</p><p>According to research done by Goldman Sachs, moving those minor doctor visits from the brick and mortar offices to video conference platforms, similar to Skype or FaceTime, would reduce healthcare costs by around $104 billion per year.</p><p>According to a 2010 National Ambulatory Medicare Survey, the average American visits the doctor 3.32 times each year. <span>Factoring in the healthcare system's increasing size due to the Affordable Care Act, <span>Goldman Sachs analysts David Roman and Kyle Conlee estimated that this number has increased to approximately 4.0 since then. That's a total 1.3 billion doctor visits every year.</span></span></p><p><span>"</span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">Going to the doctor is both expensive and inconvenient. Further, of the over 1.3 billion physician office visits annually, </span><span style="line-height: 1.5em;">our industry diligence suggests that close to half of them do not require doctor/patient contact," wrote Roman and Conlee.</span></p><p>This is where computers come in. Services such as <a href="http://www.doctorondemand.com/">Doctor on Demand</a> and <a href="https://www.americanwell.com/">American Well</a> allow patients to use their phones or computers to video chat with doctors face-to-face without going to the office. This saves a lot of money, a Doctor on Demand call costs $40 all told, while traditional visits average $200 total, meaning it could cut costs by 75%.</p><p><span>The platform is also gaining widespread acceptance. <span>On April 30, United Healthcare, the largest health insurance provider in the country, </span><span></span><a href="http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20150430006421/en/UnitedHealthcare-Covers-Virtual-Care-Physician-Visits-Expanding#.VZFVoxNVhHz">announced</a><span> that it had partnered with the three largest healthcare video conferencing companies and has begun to cover the costs of the video visits.</span></span></p><p>Roman and Conlee do accept that this technology is not a substitute for many doctor visits and patients trusting digital platforms could be a hurdle.</p><p>The quicker the adoption, the quicker the savings for the healthcare industry and consumers will add up. With intense focus on cutting healthcare costs, videoconferencing with a doctor is a multibillion dollar solution already available on the AppStore.</p>    <div class="margin-top">        <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/scientifically-ways-women-attractive-2015-5">6 scientifically proven features men find attractive in women</a></h3>        <div>            <div>        <div class="ooyala-video-player" data-video-autoplay="false" data-video-id="tiMGo5cTpwCabxNRPKR9Te43E3zYrTMd" data-player-variable="ooyalapopvideo" id="ooyalaplayer_popvideo" style="width:1280px;height:720px"></div>        </div>        </div>            </div>

Replacing doctor's visits with apps could save us $104 billion a year

<p class="source"><span>Getty Images</span></p><p class="caption">Nurse practitioners are in high demand, but some state laws bar them from practicing without doctor supervision.</p><ul class="summary-list"><li>Nurse practitioners are among the fastest growing jobs in the US - making about $113,930 per year - and are in high demand in rural areas with few doctors. </li><li>Yet some state regulations, called scope of practice laws, bar nurse practitioners from practicing without doctor supervision.</li><li>These are the 10 worst states to be a nurse practitioner, according to data from staffing firm Barton Associates. </li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/?hprecirc-bullet">Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories</a>.</li></ul><p>Nurse practitioners are among the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/best-high-paying-fast-growing-jobs-of-the-future-2019-9#13-postsecondary-health-specialties-teachers-bls-projects-an-increase-of-59100-jobs-between-2018-and-2028-18">fastest-growing - and most in-demand - jobs in the US,</a> according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Plus the job's lucrative: these medical professionals can expect to make $113,930 per year, <a href="https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/nurse-anesthetists-nurse-midwives-and-nurse-practitioners.htm">BLS reported</a>.</p><p>Yet some states bar nurse practitioners from practicing without the supervision of a doctor. Scope of practice laws dictate the type of care a nurse practitioner can provide. </p><p>In most states, nurse practitioners can evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients by prescribing medicine - following the recommendations of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. Many nurse practitioners are taught these skills in higher level nursing programs.</p><p>Still, some states reject these recommendations and restrict a nurse practitioner's ability to treat patients without a doctor present. This is most common in southern states, <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/05/21/725118232/the-struggle-to-hire-and-keep-doctors-in-rural-areas-means-patients-go-without-c">where rural areas already face a shortage of doctors</a>, and nurse practitioners' ability to treat patients is restricted.</p><p>Nurse practitioners can help fill healthcare gaps in areas where there are few doctors, according to a 2018 <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180227125629.htm">study</a> by the University of Michigan. While doctors tend to practice in affluent neighborhoods, nurse practitioners serve low-income communities, which could make up for the lack of doctors, the study found.</p><p>Here are 10 of the worst states to be a nurse practitioner due to scope of practice laws, according to data from staffing firm <a href="https://www.bartonassociates.com/about-us">Barton Associates.</a></p><p><em>Are you a nurse practitioner? Email aakhtar@businessinsider.com.</em></p>

The 10 worst states to be a nurse practitioner

<br /><ul><li><strong>Doctors striking in <keyword id="6357783" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="West-bengal">West Bengal</keyword> have decided to hold discussions with CM <keyword id="43891" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mamta-Banerjee">Mamta Banerjee</keyword> over the safety issues. <br /></strong></li></ul><ul><li><strong>However, the doctors have asked the presence of representatives of all medical colleges and national media to keep transparency. <br /></strong></li></ul><ul><li><strong>Meanwhile, India’s leading medical association have widened the nationwide strike on 17 June. <br /></strong></li></ul>The doctors on strike in the state of West Bengal for improved security have decided to talk with West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee “to immediately end the impasse.” However, they have demanded the discussion to take place in the presence of media and include representatives of all medical colleges in the state.<br /><br />"The last press interview by our honourable Chief Minister was full of discrepancies which had led to false propagation of the motive behind our protests and the response of the government to it. Hence it needs clarification," said a representative from doctors strike. <br /><br />On 15 June , India’s leading doctors’ association, the Indian Medical Association (IMA), widened the nation-wide protest beyond West Bengal, where the strike started, across the country on 17 June, demanding better security to prevent any violent attack,<a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3014636/doctors-india-threaten-strike-demand-safety-after-attack"> reported </a>Reuters. <br /><br />The strike is going to cripple hundreds of government-run hospitals across India. The protest started in West Bengal after relatives of a dead patient attacked three junior doctors at the NRS Medical College in Kolkata leaving them seriously injured. <br /><br />The IMA, that now demands a legislation to protect the doctors, said the attack was “barbaric.” Over 30,000 doctors in the country joined the one-day long strike on 15 June, claimed medical associations. Previously, the IMA stretched the day long strike on Friday to over the weekend and decided to all non-essential services in all health care institutions on 17 June.<br /><br />Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan has urged all the Chief Ministers to take strict action against the assault. “The government must pass a law to make any attack on doctors a non-bailable offence with minimum 12 years of jail,” tweeted Vardhan. <br /><br />With the nation-wide protest going on since Friday now, most of the patients will likely have to wait outside hospitals for long hours, <a href="https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/south-asia/article/3014636/doctors-india-threaten-strike-demand-safety-after-attack">according to </a>Reuters. India’s government spending on health care is already among the lowest in the world. <br /><br />The protests are against the brutal attack on two junior doctors in Kolkata by the family members of a dead patient in the NRS Medical College and Hospital that took place late on June 10, doctors across the West Bengal and later across India had stopped working.<br />

You Searched For "doctor on demand" and got 9 results

Doctor On Demand is expanding its virtual care platform

Nicky Lineaweaver

How a giant pharma company and a little-known biotech teamed up to create the first coronavirus vaccine

Lydia Ramsey Pflanzer

Grand Rounds strikes another deal

Lydia Ramsey Pflanzer

Seeing a primary-care doctor online is getting easier, and health insurers say it's saving money

Shelby Livingston

A Startup That Wants You To Ditch Waiting Rooms Forever Just Raised $21 Million

Jillian D'Onfro

There's A New App That Will Let You Have A Real Doctor's Appointment Using Video Chat On Your Smartphone

Jillian D'Onfro

Replacing doctor's visits with apps could save us $104 billion a year

Bob Bryan

The 10 worst states to be a nurse practitioner

Allana Akhtar

Doctors in Bengal have been on strike for a week -- and a truce with the government still seems tough

Preeti Soni

Popular Keywords

Buying Guides