STAT+: Chatbots, surveys, and texts: Telehealth companies cut costs by reimagining the front desk
Telehealth companies struggling to stand out in a crowded virtual care market are increasingly leaning on chatbots, online questionnaires, and automated follow-ups to triage patients and trim costs, letting them care for more patients for less money.
Patients seeking on-demand doctors’ visits and quick prescriptions have a growing number of choices, ranging from private companies like Nurx and Ro mainly offering non-emergency care like birth control consultations to behemoths like Amwell tackling primary and urgent care. Despite a surge of patients seen during the pandemic, many of these virtual care companies still haven’t turned a profit. And in a sea of competitors offering similar services, the money they save through automation could make a difference in their financial success.
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