With healthcare costs being one of the primary causes of bankruptcy in the United States, the need for more cost-effective healthcare options is dire. There is a growing number of people who cannot access healthcare, such as part-time employees, the economically challenged and other rural or marginalized communities. Then there are millennials that skip preventative care, often opting to work instead, therefore adding to the growing crowd neglecting their healthcare. Seniors also suffer from escalating ailments, which increases their risk of falling prey to chronic diseases in the long run.

Rising above this challenging backdrop is Telahealth Consultants, their unique direct-to- consumer virtual healthcare model does not require insurance to access services. A single individual or family can get an all-inclusive virtual healthcare plan that provides non-emergent treatment and includes physical clinic visits. This eases accessibility factors that plague consumers, with affordable digital healthcare for all sections of the population. While Telahealth Consultants does not negate health insurance, the belief is “an ounce of prevention is worth more than a pound of cure”.

Their online virtual healthcare platform is not a panacea, but brings cost-saving healthcare solutions to members with a team of physicians that is available 24/7/365 to diagnose and recommend treatment or medications direct-to-consumers or employer groups of all sizes. Compared to other telemedicine platforms, Telahealth Consultants serves both the business-to-consumer and business-to-business markets.

In an interview with the editorial team of MD Tech Review, Dr. Clive A. Fowler, CEO of Telahealth Consultants, discusses how the company provides virtual telehealth solutions empowering people with the freedom to access better healthcare options with cost-saving benefits available on their easily navigable app and website.

How has your company established itself in the telemedicine space?

Our primary mission is providing affordable healthcare services and value to everyone. Telahealth Consultants addresses some of healthcare’s most fundamental problems such as convenient access to care for non-insured and insured people. Being aware of the sensitivity and national needs of rural and marginalized communities, Telahealth Consultants also offers safe and effective programs to help relieve the pressure that’s on our current healthcare system and provide cost-effective services to marginalized communities nationwide.

Our offering is unique since we provide a full-service healthcare option to employer groups and the general public. We are committed to helping members have a delightful healthcare experience with convenient virtual healthcare packages.

What do you think are some of the major market pain points of your customers?

The first problem that consumers face in this market is related to cost-efficiencies. The constraints of rising healthcare costs are prompting employers to go along with complete one-stop virtual healthcare. Acting as a buffer between the employer, insurance company and care provider, our solution reduces the number of claims with preventative care.

The second pain point we addressed was competitive benefits, which employers are following closely to stay ahead. Employees who are overworked with increasingly busy schedules are swiftly turning to virtual healthcare to receive the care they need when they need it.

The last factor is the lack of improved access and quality of healthcare, especially for the millennial age group. Millennials usually do not want to skip work for doctor’s appointments. They would rather opt for virtual treatment for themselves and their families in relation to preventative care for staying healthy and productive on the job.

How does your team of board-certified doctors operate?

Our doctors have an average of 15 years of experience in internal medicine, family practice and pediatrics, and are available round the clock to diagnose and treat common ailments.

We cover allergies, arthritic pain, flu symptoms, sinusitis, bronchitis, gastroenteritis, and minor burns, among others. Diagnosis of ailments such as infections, sore throats, sprains or strains, urinary tract infections, and many more non-emergency medical illnesses is also on offer. All of Telahealth Consultant’s physicians are licensed state-wide, board-certified, verified by the national physician’s database and the American Medical Association.

Could you shed some light on the free prescription program that you have in place for the most prescribed telemedicine drugs that you offer?

Telahealth Consultant’s prescription program offers 98 percent of the most commonly prescribed telehealth medications at zero cost to all members when prescribed by a Telahealth Consultant physician. We offer our services in convenient packages – direct-to-consumer, but we customize employer group plans. Our members have access to a database of prescriptions, which allows them to view the precise cost of a drug. It is possible to obtain prescriptions, including pharmacy pick-up at over sixty thousand pharmacies nationwide and free home delivery for a ninety-day supply of medications.

Also included in our range of services are patient assistance programs (PAP), which are beneficial for those that qualify for it. Once the member qualifies for PAP, they can get their medications deeply discounted. Specialty medications, high-cost drugs, tier three, and tier four medications are also available under PAP and we can source medications through international pharmacy affiliations to provide more cost-effective solutions for members.

Some of our plans provide up to four hundred generic medications for as little as $5 or less.

Do you have a case study that you would like to share with us?

As a survivor of both the A and Delta variants of COVID-19, I was able to pick up my phone and call a doctor while I was travelling, getting information about nearby clinics instantly. This service helped me find a neighborhood clinic.

Telahealth Consultants provides in-person clinic visits. Over 7,000 clinics are a part of the platform, including CVS’s Minute Clinics. They offer convenient, high-quality care for common family illnesses.

At the clinic, I was pulling in 500 units of air instead of 2,500. The specialist was able to find pneumonia in the lower left lobe, which is what they treated me for. The doctor’s appointment, X-ray, COVID-19 test, antigen test and prescription cost were $270 out-of-pocket with no insurance involved.

Could you elaborate more on the plans offered, innovative website and mobile app?

Our plans cover all immediate family members for as little as $2.20 per day and we are probably the only company in the country today that gives away the first two 50-minute mental health sessions free to every member.

To provide more ease of access to affordable healthcare, Telahealth Consultants has tie-ups with over 5,000 labs across the country, including LabCorp and Quest.

We accommodate English and Spanish members on-demand plus an additional 170 languages upon request.

Furthermore, our members can access available medical records within 48 hours after signing a permission affidavit. Each member gets a medical ID wallet for storing information in case of an emergency where medical information is mandatory. In case the cost of such emergency services is too steep, Telahealth Consultants offers medical bill negotiations starting at $750 and above. For a FICO score of 620 or better, medical bill financing can be arranged, when necessary, as low as 6 percent, to safeguard against someone becoming bankrupt. Our Wellness Coaching service offers smoking cessation, nutrition, and overall lifestyle improvements. Sleep and Stress Management is also offered in a six-week online course run by The Cleveland Clinic that monitors sleep and recommends relaxation techniques to help reduce stress with real-life strategies. As a bonus, members can also get access to ground and air ambulance services for a separate fee to round-off their family or employer group package.

What impacts your work culture?

Telahealth Consultants is the only minority-owned company of its type in the country to date. As part of our inclusivity, our company culture has allowed us to expand our base to work directly with employers, colleges, unions, and municipalities providing not only to these groups but small businesses with less than 100 employees and direct-to-consumers on a one-on-one basis. We are one of the few organizations that not only allows a direct employer structure, but also broker partnering opportunities for nonprofits, associations, faith-based communities, and foundations. A caring heart makes for great company culture as reflected in our logo, providing a rainbow of benefits to people that understand the value of customer service and quality care, which is a part of our mission.

What are the future plans you envision?

Our team is the first to build an in-class web and mobile application that saves customers’ money on out-of-pocket medical and pharmacy expenses. Looking ahead, our company will be focused on rendering a scalable and flexible yet highly secure technical infrastructure to support virtual healthcare services and enable data-driven personalization. With continuous refinements to our clinical infrastructure for routing patients to virtual healthcare clinicians that are licensed in the correct geography and speaking their language, TelaHealth Consultants offers something for everyone.