Sunrise, Florida, June 14, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- MDLIVE, a leading virtual medical and behavioral healthcare provider, today announced an exclusive partnership with DermatologistOnCall, the leading teledermatology platform provider, to offer 24/7/365 virtual dermatology care. The demand for greater access to dermatology services is clear: According to the 2017 Merritt Hawkins “Survey of Physician Appointment Wait Times,” the average wait time to schedule a dermatologist appointment across 15 major markets (including Boston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.) is 32.3 days. In many markets, wait times can be several months or longer, especially for new patients.
The partnership with DermatologistOnCall will offer MDLIVE users access to dermatology care with intuitive, intelligent, technology-based diagnosis to increase the speed and quality of service while reducing the cost of care.
“At MDLIVE, we seek to be a trusted healthcare provider and partner – and that requires providing access to a full suite of care services,” said Scott Decker, chief executive officer at MDLIVE. “Dermatology is a specialty area that is dramatically underserved. By partnering with DermatologistOnCall, we are able to provide care to individuals who need it – when they need it – in an area of healthcare that can be greatly served via virtual care.”
The demand for better, improved access to dermatology care, by the numbers:
- Today, there are approximately 13,000 U.S. board-certified dermatologists, which equates to less than 4 physicians per 100,000 people.
- When patients suffering from a skin condition can’t get an appointment with a dermatologist, they often resort to seeking care from a primary care physician or other medical professional that doesn’t specialize in dermatology. Studies have found that up to 43 percent of those patients are not properly diagnosed causing them to require additional care, which extends cure periods and increases the cost of care.
- According to the Center for Disease Control, 79.7 percent of emergency room visits not resulting in a hospital admission were due to lack of access to the appropriate specialty area or an alternative provider.
“The partnership with MDLIVE is another important step in closing the gap between today’s lack of access to specialty care and a future of improved access and efficiency that leads to more accurate diagnoses and treatment for patients,” said David Zynn, chief executive officer and president of Iagnosis, the parent company of DermatologistOnCall. “The result is lowered overall costs of care for conditions which go untreated, mistreated or misdiagnosed. Patients get a treatment plan and an e-prescription (if needed) in less than 24 hours compared to the weeks or months they may have to wait for an office appointment with a specialist.”
MDLIVE’s more than 1,800 board-certified doctors and licensed therapists currently provide low-acuity care, including treatment for allergies, the common cold and flu, and virtual behavioral health for individuals needing treatment for depression, addiction and stress, among others, in all 50 states.
“We are continuing to build a comprehensive, quality consumer experience where an MDLIVE patient can obtain medical, behavioral health and dermatology care from one trusted brand,” said Randy Parker, founder and chief business development officer at MDLIVE. “Improving access to care for areas like dermatology, where there is demand beyond the supply of licensed professionals, is critical.”
For more information, visit the MDLIVE website.
About MDLIVE
Founded in 2009, MDLIVE is a visionary and pioneer in the digital delivery of high-quality, convenient, cost-efficient virtual care for medical and behavioral health conditions. The company provides consumers, health plans, health systems and self-insured employers with 24/7/365 access to its network of board-certified doctors and licensed therapists via secure online video, and phone through the MDLIVE service and technology platform. Registered users can receive a virtual consultation through the company’s HIPAA and PHI-compliant secure, cloud-based platform from home or on the go. To learn more about how MDLIVE is using telehealth innovations to improve the delivery of healthcare, visit www.MDLIVE.com.
About Iagnosis
Iagnosis, Inc. is focused on delivering faster healthcare treatment to patients through web-enabled solutions. Its flagship product, DermatologistOnCall®, is best-in-class for helping board-certified dermatologists in the U.S. offer patients convenient 24/7 online and mobile access to affordable, high-quality skin, hair and nail medical care. Iagnosis has been recognized in the industry for its innovation and high patient satisfaction ratings, and the company actively partners with physician practices, health systems, retailers, and other organizations to provide comprehensive and personalized care solutions to patients. Visit www.DermatologistOnCall.com to start an online dermatology visit, or www.iagnosis.com for corporate information.
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