Telemedicine and care navigation: A winning combination.

40% of workplace-insured Americans admit they’ve delayed seeking medical care due to inconvenience or concerns about cost. This hesitation can lead to worsening health issues, lost productivity, and higher healthcare costs for employers and their teams. 

Virtual urgent care benefits ensure employees have fast, affordable access to medical professionals, while care navigation helps guide them to the right services at the right time. Together, these solutions reduce barriers to healthcare, improve health outcomes, and control healthcare costs. 

Telemedicine is a game-changer for employees.

Telemedicine transforms the way healthcare is delivered by connecting members with medical providers through video calls, chat, or phone consultations. With Rightway, members have 24/7 access to convenient, cost-effective, and high-value care within minutes. The benefits of telemedicine for your team include:

• Simplified healthcare access: Employees can connect with licensed healthcare providers anytime, anywhere. Whether they’re at home, in the office, or on the road, virtual urgent care removes the hassle of scheduling appointments, traveling to clinics, or sitting in waiting rooms. This convenience ensures employees are more likely to seek care promptly.

• Lower costs: When faced with a health issue, employees may turn to costly care options such as emergency rooms—which can average $646 even with insurance—in-person urgent care facilities, or out-of-network providers. Virtual care offers a significantly more affordable alternative. This approach benefits employers by reducing healthcare claims and helps employees save on out-of-pocket expenses for non-emergency conditions.

• Improved health outcomes: When healthcare is convenient and accessible, employees are more likely to address health concerns early. Preventing minor issues from escalating into serious conditions improves overall employee health and well-being, reducing long-term costs for chronic conditions.

• Enhanced employee satisfaction: Providing virtual urgent care shows that an employer values their employees’ time and health. This commitment to well-being fosters loyalty, improves morale, and enhances an organization’s ability to attract and retain top talent.

Why employers must pair telemedicine with care navigation

Offering telemedicine benefits is a great step toward improving employee health and reducing costs, but it’s equally important to ensure employees know about these services and can easily access them when needed. While virtual urgent care addresses many healthcare challenges, care navigation services ensure employees make the most of it. Care navigation bridges gaps in awareness, accessibility, and follow-through to drive healthcare value by:

1. Simplifying healthcare access.

Employees often don’t know where to start when they have a health concern. Care navigation helps guide them to the right resources at the right time. For example, Rightway’s nurses direct employees to virtual urgent care for conditions like sore throats or cold symptoms or when their primary care provider isn’t available.

2. Providing end-to-end support.

Care doesn’t stop after the initial virtual urgent care visit. At Rightway, nurses help employees manage follow-up care, such as scheduling lab tests, refilling prescriptions, or coordinating with specialists. This ensures employees receive comprehensive care without delays or confusion, leading to better health outcomes.

3. Increasing benefits utilization.

Care navigation educates employees and helps them utilize resources like telemedicine that are available in their benefits offering. Rightway members can instantly access care through the app or connect with a nurse for clinical triage, increasing utilization.

Telemedicine delivers fast, affordable, and high-quality care, simplifying healthcare access, reducing costs, and improving employee satisfaction. However, pairing it with care navigation ensures employees know how to use these benefits effectively, guiding them to the right care and supporting them throughout their healthcare journey.

To learn more about the benefits of a care navigation-driven virtual care offering, click here.