Arizona is one of the states where CVS introduces digital doctor visits

CVS Health has begun offering MinuteClinic Video Visits in select areas of the country.

“We’re excited to be able to bring this innovative care option to patients,” said Troyen A. Brennan, M.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of CVS Health in a statement.

The video calls will allow patients to talk with a doctor about acute care conditions 24/7 through the CVS Pharmacy App.

“CVS Health is committed to delivering high-quality health and pharmacy care when and where our patients need it and at prices they can afford. Through MinuteClinic Video Visits, patients will now have an additional option for seeking care via telehealth that is even more convenient,” CVS spokesperson Amy Lanctot said.

Anyone over two years old who is suffering from minor illness, minor injury, or skin conditions can use the app to virtually connect with a provider.

Before the session, patients will be asked to complete a health questionnaire that their provider will review.  During the visit, “the provider will assess the patient’s condition and determine the appropriate course of treatment.”

Teladoc, a global leader in virtual care, collaborated with CVS to help create the platform that allows patients to receive care via the app.

“This is an exciting advancement,” Jason Gorevic, CEO, Teladoc said. “CVS Health’s expansion of their health care model to include video visits brings even more care delivery options to patients and Teladoc is proud to work with them on this offering.”

According to CVS, over the recent years the company has been testing telehealth as a way to increase access to care. In their initial phases of testing, “95 percent of patients who opted to receive a telehealth visit were highly satisfied with the quality of care they received, the ease with which the virtual technology was integrated into the visit and the timeliness and convenience of their care.”

The appointments cost $59 and are not currently covered by insurance. Patients can pay via debit or credit card. CVS said they are actively working to seek insurance coverage.

Currently, virtual appointments are only available in nine states – Arizona, California, Florida, Idaho, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Hampshire, and Virginia – and the District of Columbia but are expected to be nationwide by the end of 2018.