Walgreens, the Deerfield, Ill.-based national pharmacy chain, and MDLIVE, the Sunrise, Fla.-based telehealth vendor, have announced expansion of its joint telehealth platform to include users in three new states.
Last December, the companies announced a partnership, launching a direct-to-consumer telehealth mobile health (mHealth) app that gives consumers in California and Michigan 24/7 access to a doctor. Now, that platform will expand to users in Colorado, Illinois and Washington. The service is planned to be available to users in 25 states by the end of 2015.
The service is available in both iOS and Android versions of the Walgreens mobile app, and the platform enables users to consult virtually with MDLIVE board-certified physicians for a range of acute conditions. Importantly, these physicians can e-prescribe medications when appropriate. Visits with a participating MDLIVE physician are $49. The company also announced that in addition to mobile, users can now access the platform via the Walgreens website on desktop and tablet devices, in states where the service is currently offered.
“Our society truly values anytime, anywhere convenience,” Adam Pellegrini, Walgreens divisional vice president of digital health, said in a statement. “And with a growing need for access to affordable health care services, we believe telehealth solutions can play an important role in helping to improve patient outcomes and continues our mission to provide a seamless, omni-channel digital health experience.”
