RxBenefits’ Northeast Business Development Director, Kelly Chillingworth, RPh, MHA-Ed, CGP, joined Managed Healthcare Executive’s Tuning Into The C-Suite podcast to discuss the unique connection between pharmacy and telemedicine. In the interview, Kelly shares what the uptick in telemedicine means for self-funded employers, and how the right virtual care offerings can be a key component of a competitive benefit. The following is a brief excerpt; you can listen to the full interview here.
Briana Contreras (Tuning Into The C-Suite host): Can you share how evaluating your clients’ virtual care offerings relating to their members’ needs can be essential to building a competitive benefit moving forward?
Kelly: Sure. I saw an article and heard on the radio that 41% of working humans are thinking about quitting their job right now. We’ve all had time to reflect over the COVID months about existential things like…life is short, people are dying, and maybe isn’t this what I want to do with my life? So, we’ve all become very thoughtful in interesting ways. So much so that some of our clients are having trouble re-recruiting teammates back into their business, say they had to have a furlough or some layoffs, or they suffered during COVID and are having a hard time getting workers back. Then certainly, we’ve got challenges in specific industries, maybe even in essential worker groups where the COVID months really took their toll.
The idea behind having a competitive benefit is to recruit and retain talent. So having a benefit where telemedicine is an option is very smart. Right now, today in the news, we’re talking about the delta variant. We’re talking about mask mandates being reinstated. So, while telemedicine has plateaued a bit – it spiked in April 2020 and has plateaued to become around 13% to 17% of all outpatient visits – I have a feeling that it may go back up. So having that benefit in place at this time when people are being really thoughtful about their job selection is going to be key.
Continue to the full interview to hear more from Kelly on the increase in telehealth utilization and its potential impact on employer-sponsored pharmacy benefits plans and their members.
