Employee Benefit Data Services signs contract with Teladoc to offer physician telephone medical consultations
Employee Benefit Data Services (EBDS) announced today that it will offer physician telephone medical consultations through Teladoc Medical Services.
Using the phone, individuals can speak with Teladoc-provided physicians 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These primary care physicians (PCPs) can diagnose medical problems and, when appropriate, prescribe medications.
“EBDS is dedicated to providing the best member experience in the industry for the health and benefits consumer,” said Alistair Rock, EBDS president and chief executive officer. “Our partnership with Teladoc will offer members a more convenient and lower-cost alternative for routine care.”
According to Robb Myer, director of solutions management at EBDS, “Linking Teladoc to a consumer-directed spending account is an innovative combination that we are excited to offer in the marketplace.”
Through Teladoc, individuals are guaranteed a call back from a qualified PCP – usually in under an hour. Prior to the consultation, the Teladoc consultant physician electronically accesses the patient’s medical history, which each patient provides at the time of enrollment. This electronic health record (EHR) provides the physician with information about the patient’s chronic illnesses, current medications and any medication allergies.
The Teladoc model is designed to handle the majority of non-emergent medical cases and can resolve routine medical issues in a fraction of the time that is often spent accessing care from urgent care facilities, emergency rooms or physician offices. Teladoc physicians can prescribe short-term Rx drugs or refills (except DEA controlled substances).
“The addition of EBDS to our client roster not only expands Teladoc membership – which is now over 2M — but it also reinforces the value of our cross–coverage model to deliver quality medical care at significantly lower costs,” said Michael Gorton, president and chief executive officer of Teladoc.
About EBDS
Employee Benefit Data Services is one of the fastest growing industry leaders in the area of employee benefits administration. EBDS is consistently selected by corporate employers, government, insurance companies, and multiple employer purchasing coalitions to implement data solutions, eligibility maintenance, and complete administration of complex benefits packages. EBDS can quickly partner with an organization to handle benefits administration needs. Because of its autonomy, EBDS can work with any insurance company, broker, financial organization, or consulting firm. EBDS provides benefits services to almost 1 million covered participants from organizations throughout the United States. EBDS is headquartered in Pittsburgh. For more information, visit www.ebds.com.
