Helping Healthcare Payors Offer Truly Robust Virtual Primary Care

As the world increasingly embraces virtual technologies, making services more responsive to our individual needs, payors have recognized the benefits such technologies could offer. But until now, there have been limits to how well a smartphone can perform when replacing in-person visits.

At best, a video phone call can offer some semblance of interaction, allowing doctors to – in theory – diagnose and prescribe remotely. In practice, patients and doctors alike are often uneasy about diagnosis, and even more so about prescribing and taking medication based on shaky, poor image quality video calls.

The result is that many patients end up making costly ER visits to see a physician in person anyway, just for peace of mind.

To take that next leap forward, the medical industry requires a diagnostics tool that allows the physician to offer a truly robust virtual primary care service.

TytoCare is already working with a wide range of payors to deliver outstanding virtual primary care to their members.

Using TytoCare’s AI-enabled, FDA-cleared handheld device, physicians can undertake real remote medical exams, offering quality of care remotely for the whole family, wherever they are, across the healthcare spectrum.

That includes ear, throat, lung, and skin exams, heart and abdomen sounds, and temperature checks, giving the physician the same confidence to make a diagnosis as they would have at an in-person consultation.

Not only that, but the system is fully integrated with existing Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems such as Epic, enabling the provider to offer continuity of care beyond the virtual consultation.

With TytoCare, payors are accelerating their VPC and digital-first plans, providing vastly better diagnostic options than mere voice or video calls can provide. And the benefits are clear on both sides of the equation – for those offering the plans, and for those using them.

Payors and providers who have integrated TytoCare into their healthcare program have found that it delivers an 80% reduction in visits to the Emergency Department, which translates into a 43% reduction in costs. At Advocate Children’s Hospital, to give just one example, this represented an average saving of $7,183.69 per patient.

TytoCare makes it vastly more convenient to seek a consultation, encouraging members to do so earlier. This translates into savings for payors, through earlier diagnosis and treatment of chronic conditions.

But even more important than the financial savings, members genuinely value the service, making it not only cost-effective but appealing for members who are able to access quality care for their family at any time, with full confidence.

Members are talking and spreading the word about how TytoCare has positively impacted their health plan experience. Leanne, a self-confessed “huge fan” of TytoCare, says:

“TytoCare has been excellent for those middle of the night worrying moments of mine as a mom, and it has definitely saved me an unnecessary visit to the doctor. It’s been reliable, it’s been accurate, right now. I think you cannot put a price on ease and safety when it comes to medical care. It’s just been remarkable.”

That peace of mind for members cannot be overstated in terms of the value offering TytoCare brings to a payor’s brand. Offering TytoCare sends a signal to members that their health plan is invested in protecting their family’s health by offering ease of access. And that’s the kind of messaging that translates into word-of-mouth recommendations, taking the pressure off marketing teams.

As Leanne herself said: “I would absolutely recommend TytoCare, and I have already to my friends and my family.”

Or take Malorie, who underscored that peace of mind that mothers everywhere crave when seeking medical solutions for their young ones:

“Having somebody who can visually see the same things I’m seeing and help me make a determination on what I need to do and that’s in the best interest of my babies – that’s what’s important to me,” she told us.

“That’s what I get by using Tyto,” she emphasized, adding that TytoCare has already saved her a trip to the ER.

We know, because we’ve asked them, that members are happy to have the TytoCare device in their homes to connect with medical professionals at the drop of a hat. In turn, they feel more positive towards their health insurers, creating a win-win for both parties.

While TytoCare has obvious benefits for parents – who always dread a late-night dash to the ER to access care for a sick child – its applications aren’t limited to young families.

Employers have found it invaluable for offering remote consultations on business premises, meaning that employees can access great primary care without having to take time away from the office. Not only does this offer obvious benefits to the employer, but it also helps employees stay on top of their health as a preventative to chronic conditions.

And, it has to be said, the cool-looking TytoCare gadgetry shouts “cutting edge care, innovative care.” Not only does this build confidence among members that their payor is committed to providing the best healthcare on offer, it also offers a differentiation point, helping with that all-important market share.

There’s no doubt that virtual primary care is the future of healthcare. Given the benefits to both payors in terms of savings at every stage of the healthcare journey and increased member satisfaction, and to members in terms of a more responsive, accurate service, the gains speak for themselves.

The good news is that payors no longer have to wait for technology to catch up before they can roll out a comprehensive VPC service. With TytoCare, the future is already here.