The benefits of virtual visits for employees and employers
Say one of your employees is sick at home but not comfortable visiting a provider in person. Don’t worry, there’s an app for that. For conditions that aren’t life-threatening, Doctor On Demand® offers virtual urgent care visits with board-certified physicians.
Virtual visits offer benefits for every workforce, but can be especially helpful for employees who:
- Have tight schedules or short lunch breaks
- Live or work in areas where in-person care isn’t widely accessible
- Travel frequently for work
- Want to avoid a trip to the emergency room
- Have a simple question about an existing treatment regimen
Doctor On Demand gives you and your employees the option to receive medical treatment via phone, tablet or desktop computer.
Get the word out about virtual visits to your employees
Do your employees know about virtual visits? Help them get the care they need, whenever — or wherever — they need it. Download the Doctor On Demand poster from the Wellmark Marketing Toolkit to share with your business.
How do virtual visits compare to in-person visits?
Virtual visits are convenient and just as effective as in-person visits for conditions like:
- Cold and flu symptoms
- Migraines
- Stress management
- Seasonal allergies
- Nausea
- Follow-up visits
- Prescription refills
- Monitoring of chronic conditions
Virtual visits also benefit providers by freeing up the time they’d spend treating someone with a common cold. When simpler ailments can be addressed virtually, providers are able to dedicate more time to patients with chronic conditions.
When to visit a doctor in-person
There are some doctor visits that are best performed in-person like:
- The first time meeting a new physician or nurse
- Something needs to be felt (like a lump), heard (like heartbeat or lungs) or seen (sore throat or rash)
- If blood tests or other imaging needs to be done
If your employees are unsure if they should schedule an in-person or virtual visit, remind them of BeWell 24/7® Nurse Support — a service available exclusively to Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield members. Your employees can get real help from real people 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They can get answers to questions about a variety of concerns health care professionals. Members should call 844-842-3935.
What does a virtual visit cost?
A virtual visit through Doctor On Demand is a benefit covered by many Wellmark plans. Oftentimes, a virtual visit costs the same or less than a visit to a primary care provider (PCP). Encourage your employees to check their coverage for details. If virtual visits aren't covered under your Wellmark health plan, accessing care online through a service like Doctor On Demand may still be more affordable than a trip to urgent care or the emergency room.
Some Wellmark plans cover Doctor On Demand visits for mental health. If your employees are hesitant about getting help for mental health issues such as depression, anxiety or chronic stress, a virtual doctor visit may be a good place to start. Make sure your employees log in to myWellmark® to check their plan's benefits before receiving care.
How can you help your employees?
It may be time to take a look at your health plan to see how telehealth visits are covered by your health plan. Contact your Wellmark representative to learn more.
Disclaimers
Doctor On Demand physicians do not prescribe Drug Enforcement Administration-controlled substances, and may elect not to treat conditions or prescribe other medications based on what is clinically appropriate.
For plans that include benefits for mental health treatment, Doctor On Demand benefits may include treatment for certain psychological conditions, emotional issues and chemical dependency. Services performed by Doctor On Demand psychologists are covered. For more information, call Wellmark at the number on your ID card.
Doctor On Demand by Included Health is a separate company providing an online telehealth solution for Wellmark members. Doctor On Demand® is a registered mark of Doctor On Demand, Inc.