Philadelphia, PA -- (ReleaseWire) -- 06/17/2019 --Telemedicine has been a growing trend in the healthcare industry for years. According to a Mercer survey, nearly three-quarters of companies in the United States with over 500 employees offer telemedicine services. Despite the number of companies that offer the service, too few employees take advantage of telemedicine benefits.

Employers have been praised for offering telemedicine to their employees but for many employers, it has been a struggle to gain traction and drive utilization of the service by their employees. It turns out that simply offering telemedicine services to your employees is only half the battle.

According to AllyHealth, a telehealth service that connects members with doctors and other care providers and specializes in driving utilization of their programs, telemedicine benefits both employers and employees. Time and money can be saved by both parties when using telemedicine. But these benefits are only unlocked if the employees actually use these services.

One of the main telemedicine benefits is greater convenience which allows users of the program to contact medical professionals on their own time. In addition, users of telemedicine experience lower out of pocket costs. This can be a major incentive as a healthcare professional can diagnose an illness over the phone or via webchat rather than in-person.

According to United Healthcare, the average cost of a virtual medical visit is around $50, with some as low as $0. The average cost of an emergency room visit can reach over $1,000.

Employers are already seeing the telemedicine benefits as employees miss fewer days of work due to unnecessary trips to see their doctor or visit an urgent care facility. And employees can benefit from shorter wait times (sometimes averaging less than 10 minutes) with telemedicine, rather than days or weeks to see a physician in person.

Telemedicine benefits are even greater in rural areas. Due to businesses being miles away from urgent care facilities, employees can miss hours or days of work, costing both the worker or employer money. Telemedicine appointments can prevent individuals from rural areas from taking long trips to visit doctors when they can connect by phone or use webchat services.

It will take time to change and increase the use of telemedicine by workers at businesses around the US. However, the use of telemedicine by employees needs to be encouraged by employers. One way to drive utilization is to work with a stand-alone telehealth vendor that focuses on driving engagement and utilization.

About AllyHealth
AllyHealth is the most comprehensive telehealth service built for employers. AllyHealth's mobile app and proprietary engagement system drive industry-leading utilization and give employers the ability to communicate with their employees about what matters most. AllyHealth's virtual care platform encourages employees to be more proactive about their health and wellness by giving them a single point of access to the right professionals on their schedule and on their terms.

AllyHealth launched in 2011 as an advocacy company helping customers save money and gain transparency within the healthcare sector. In 2013, AllyHealth launched a telehealth service to connect members with the care they need. Since its inception, AllyHealth has always tried to stay true to its core values and deliver an exceptional experience for members, clients, and partners.