Apr 29, 2015 | Instruments & Equipment, Laboratory Hiring & Human Resources, Laboratory Instruments & Laboratory Equipment, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Operations, Laboratory Pathology
New generation of private telemedicine kiosks are popping up at Kaiser Permanente, Rite Aid pharmacies, giving pathology groups opportunities to do consultations
Coming soon to a pharmacy, school, retail store, or employer near you is a new generation of walk-in telemedicine kiosks. These kiosks are specifically designed to allow consumers to have private medical consultations with physicians. For that reason, pathologists and their medical specialty associations may find it timely to engage the company offering these kiosks with the goal of incorporating pathology consultations in the service mix offered by this new generation of telemedicine kiosks.
No less than the famous Mayo Clinic has become the latest healthcare provider to partner with HealthSpot, the company that designed this new telemedicine kiosk. This pilot program will be called the Mayo Clinical Health Connection and Mayo Clinic is placing these kiosks in its facilities in Austin and Albert Lea, Minnesota, specifically for use by employees of the Mayo Clinical Health System. Mayo officials hope that the use of these kiosks will contribute to reduced healthcare costs and improved access to medical services.
In a parallel pilot project, Mayo Clinic is placing its Mayo Clinic Health Connection kiosks in public schools in Austin, Minnesota. Plans are to eventually offer the service at university, employer, and retailer locations. (more…)
Apr 3, 2015 | Instruments & Equipment, Laboratory Instruments & Laboratory Equipment, Laboratory Management and Operations, Laboratory News, Laboratory Pathology
Pathologists may want to explore the opportunity to be tele-consultants and be paid for helping consumers understand their lab test results and other clinical findings
First it was rapid medical clinics in retail pharmacies. Next came health kiosks with information for consumers in pharmacies. Now a national pharmacy chain is upping the ante by installing enclosed health kiosks in their stores that deliver telemedicine services, thus allowing customers to speak with physicians and other medical providers in private from within the pharmacy.
For pathologists and clinical laboratory managers watching as national pharmacy chains introduce ever more medical services in their retail stories, the telemedicine kiosks is one more piece of evidence that, at some future point, pharmacies will want to provide medical laboratory testing services. In fact, lab testing is the basis for an existing agreement between Walgreens and Theranos, a lab testing company with ambitious plans to be disruptive.
It is Rite Aid Corporation (NYSE:RAD), that plans to take the health kiosk idea to a new level. Its telehealth concept allows pharmacy shoppers to consult directly with physicians via a kiosk. HealthSpot, a Columbus, Ohio-based telemedicine provider, recently launched a pilot involving the telehealth kiosks at Rite Aid stores in Ohio. It is also developing a network of board-certified physician consultants to expand this service nationwide. (more…)
