Health insurer UnitedHealth Group, which has operations in Hartford, says it is developing a service that will allow people to talk to a doctor at any time on the phone or online through a collaboration with Boston-based American Well Corp.
The proposed service would be offered nationwide to the 60 million patients covered by UnitedHealth Group Inc.’s OptumHealth subsidiary.
UnitedHealth said it would combine Web technology developed by each company: OptumHealth’s eSync Platform sends a patient’s health care information to doctors, and American Well’s Online Care platform allows patients and doctors to talk in real time.
OptumHealth patients would have 24-hour-a-day access to local doctors through two way video chat, secure online chat, phone or company health care sites. The companies said doctors would be able to expand their practices, while patients would get expanded access to health care.
Minnetonka, Minn.-based UnitedHealth is the nation’s largest managed care company based on revenue. American Well was founded in 2006. (AP)
