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Lauren Dubinsky, Senior Reporter | January 18, 2018
HCB News: How does Philips’ just-announced telehealth partnership with America Well fit into this evolving care continuum?
EVA: We are really excited about the partnership. The embedding of the American Well mobile telehealth services into a wider array of solutions for healthy consumers and patients with a medical need, we believe has a lot of potential.
Stage one for this partnership is the integration of 24/7 telehealth services into our uGrow digital parenting platform. The uGrow app helps the healthy development of your baby over time by tracking information from breastfeeding and nutrition to growth.
In the middle of the night, if the baby has a fever or doesn’t accept the breastfeeding, the patient cannot call or visit their doctor or midwife, but with telehealth they now can get advice and help when needed.
HCB News: Why is American Well the right partner for this endeavor?
EVA: American Well has proven solutions for both consumers and professionals and already works with the 36 top U.S. health insurers, over 70 U.S. health systems comprising more than 975 hospitals and companies such as CVS and Walgreens. American Well and its partners in the U.S., collectively serve more than 150 million American consumers through telehealth.
Philips itself serves many thousands of customers and billions of people across the globe. By working together we can enhance existing and future services as well as leverage the additional channels offered by the extensive American Well ecosystem.
HCB News: Do you see telehealth taking on a much larger role in U.S. health care over the next several years?
EVA: Yes, and not just in the U.S., but globally as well. In the U.S., it can take up to 24 days before you have an appointment with your doctor, which is a long waiting time if you are in need of care. Also, some people live in more remote areas, so for them it can be quite a travel to see their doctor.
Telehealth makes this 24/7, readily available, where and when you need it. We call it democratizing health care and bringing it closer to people and their home.
We will always need hospitals, but a lot of the first line support can be done through telehealth. Over time, I think the ‘tele’ part will drop from telehealth, and it will become health care as we know it in the future.
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