SEATTLE, March 2, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- 98point6, the
on-demand digital primary care service that delivers personalized
diagnosis, treatment and consultation to patients across the
country, today announced a collaboration with Quest Diagnostics
(NYSE: DGX), the world's leading provider of diagnostic information
services, to deliver text-based virtual primary care to patients
following employer-sponsored biometric and laboratory health
screenings from Quest Diagnostics.
This collaboration enables individuals to quickly, easily and
privately access a board-certified physician to provide medical
counsel after receiving a report of their biometric and laboratory
results. By offering a text-based virtual care solution, employers
can empower employees to take charge of their health by eliminating
barriers to traditional in-person care, including cost, lack of
access and time constraints. This could lead to increased
engagement in healthcare and earlier intervention to prevent and
treat chronic diseases, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer
while reducing of costs of care. Its convenience as an on-demand
option for accessing care may also boost employee engagement and
satisfaction.
"Now more than ever, employees seek medical care that is
convenient, individualized and meets them where they are. Many are
too busy or face barriers to engage in an in-person doctor's
appointment while others may not feel comfortable with a phone or
video telehealth visit," said Jay G.
Wohlgemuth, M.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Medical
Officer, and head of the company's Employer Population Health
services. "98point6 has created a digital primary care solution
that is high quality, private and easy to use. Combined with
laboratory insights from Quest Diagnostics, their text-based
consumer-centric model can help more individuals receive medical
counsel and support for a range of preventable chronic diseases,
for potentially better outcomes and lower costs."
A global FICO survey found that 80 percent of people would like
to use their smartphone to interact with health care providers,
while two-thirds of smartphone users want to receive medical advice
through digital channels instead of visiting a doctor.[i] With this
combined solution, a participant in an employer-sponsored benefits
program will have unlimited, 24/7 access to on-demand primary care
delivered via secure in-app messaging for a variety of concerns and
conditions, including any necessary prescriptions or additional
labs ordered. 98point6 physicians will also be able to
provide confidential medical counsel on a range of health issues
that may be revealed in a participant's laboratory and biometric
test results. Additionally, participants will be directed to
relevant employer-specific resources, such as Employee Assistance
Programs, during their visit with a 98point6
physician.
The new text-based capability supplements Quest's current
employer-based offerings, which are centered on the Institute for
Healthcare Improvement's "Triple Aim" approach to enhancing the
experience of care, improving population health and reducing per
capita healthcare costs.
"Providing employees with convenient, cost-effective access to
discuss their labs and overall health with 98point6 can increase
engagement in their personal health and wellness," said
Brad Younggren, M.D., Chief Medical
Officer, 98point6. "This collaboration is an exciting next step for
the future of virtual care, and we look forward to working
alongside Quest Diagnostics to provide exceptional care for
individuals across the country."
For more information on how employers may access the new
services, visit www.QuestForHealth.com.
About 98point6
Founded in 2015, 98point6 is
pioneering a new approach to primary care. By pairing AI and
machine learning with board-certified physicians, our vision is to
make primary care more accessible and affordable, leading to better
health. We meet consumers where they are by offering private,
text-based diagnosis and treatment via a mobile app. For employers,
health plans, health systems and retail partners, 98point6
increases primary care utilization among those not actively or
appropriately engaged in their health—enabling earlier medical
intervention and reducing overall cost of care. For more
information about 98point6, visit www.98point6.com.
About Quest Diagnostics
Quest Diagnostics empowers people to take action to improve health
outcomes. Derived from the world's largest database of clinical lab
results, our diagnostic insights reveal new avenues to identify and
treat disease, inspire healthy behaviors and improve health care
management. Quest annually serves one in three adult Americans and
half the physicians and hospitals in the
United States, and our 50,000 employees understand that, in
the right hands and with the right context, our diagnostic insights
can inspire actions that transform lives.
www.QuestDiagnostics.com Follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter,
Facebook and Instagram.
Media Contacts
Jason
Michael
98point6@barokas.com
Kim Gorode
mediacontact@questdiagnostics.com
[i]
https://www.fico.com/en/newsroom/fico-global-survey-80-smartphone-users-interested-health-care-alerts
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SOURCE 98point6 Inc.