Scottsdale, Ariz. – In a partnership that launches urgent care medicine into the World Wide Web, the MeMD virtual health care service became the official national partner of Doctors Express, the first national urgent care franchise. With the announcement, MeMD will be available in 24 states where Doctors Express centers are located.
With the partnership in place, patients now have greater access to affordable, convenient health care. Patients have the choice of seeing a physician by visiting a Doctors Express center, or they can virtually consult a physician on their computer, without having to leave home. Patients only need a webcam and high-speed internet connection to use the MeMD service. If a prescription is needed, the MeMD physician will electronically route it to the pharmacy of the patient’s choice. If the patient does not already have a pharmacy benefit, MeMD offers a pharmacy discount card that provides savings on brand name and generic medications at over 61,000 pharmacies nationwide.
“Patients are demanding accessible, affordable health care with minimal interruptions to their busy schedules, and MeMD provides the solution. It’s good for providers, it’s good for patients, it’s good for the [health care] system,” states Doctors Express CEO Dr. John Shufeldt. “Saving money, improving access, and providing a better experience regardless of insurance coverage is a win for everyone. Linking MeMD’s existing HIPAA-compliant, web-based technology with Doctors Express’ national network of experienced physicians improves our ability to deliver convenient and personalized care.”
To accommodate for virtual patients, Doctors Express centers will have computers equipped with web cams where staff physicians can answer incoming consultation requests. For video consultations via MeMD, patients must have a high-speed Internet connection and web cam with at least 1.3 megapixels. MeMD’s online service is compatible with the most popular web browsers: Internet Explorer 7 & 8, Mozilla Firefox 3.5+, Google Chrome 4+ and Safari 4+.
Currently, there are 51 Doctors Express centers up and running throughout the country. A total of 143 franchises have been awarded in 24 states and 85 will be operating by the end of the year. The long term goal is to have 1,000 Doctors Express centers across the nation, so that a recognizable, reliable health care option is available wherever you travel in the U.S.
