Musculoskeletal conditions impact more than half of adults in the U.S., and are the second highest driver of costs for employers. A new partnership aims to address this.
Last week, virtual health provider Transcarent announced that it is working with orthopedic and musculoskeletal company ViewFi to create an orthopedic consult solution on Transcarent’s platform. San Francisco-based Transcarent primarily serves self-insured employers and offers services for everyday health, pharmacy, behavioral health, surgery and oncology. These services are offered via the web, an app or in patient’s homes. ViewFi, based in Atlanta, Georgia, offers virtual care for musculoskeletal and orthopedic injuries. It was co-founded by former tennis player Andy Roddick.
Through the partnership, ViewFi will power Transcarent’s orthopedic consult solution, which will be part of Transcarent’s surgery care services. Through Transcarent’s app, patients will be able to have a virtual diagnostic consultation with a ViewFi orthopedic provider in less than two days. ViewFi’s medical team is in partnership with the Hospital of Special Surgery and includes physicians from Duke University and Thomas Jefferson University.
“We all know that not everyone needs surgery and not everyone needs a virtual digital app but everyone should begin the road to recovery with a comprehensive orthopedic consult. … The patient’s diagnosis will then determine their customized plan of care which may consist of MRIs, X-Rays, medications, physical or virtual therapy, or an in-person visit with an orthopedic surgeon,” said Glen Tullman, CEO of Transcarent, in an email.
This follow-up care could be done by a provider in Transcarent’s ecosystem, which includes local providers, Centers of Excellence in orthopedic surgery and digital solutions like Sword Health, Hinge and RecoveryOne. If a patient requires surgery, Transcarent will help patients find an option, and will follow up with a recovery plan. These services are offered in all 50 states.
Currently, it takes on average 16.9 days to see an orthopedic provider, according to AMN Healthcare. Having the visit virtually removes the “need to travel for evaluations or wait weeks for an in-person appointment,” Tullman said. It also reduces “high-cost specialty or emergency department visits, which means members get the care they need to get on the road to recovery faster,” he added.
A Deep-dive Into Specialty Pharma
A specialty drug is a class of prescription medications used to treat complex, chronic or rare medical conditions. Although this classification was originally intended to define the treatment of rare, also termed “orphan” diseases, affecting fewer than 200,000 people in the US, more recently, specialty drugs have emerged as the cornerstone of treatment for chronic and complex diseases such as cancer, autoimmune conditions, diabetes, hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
ViewFi will get paid in the partnership when a member or employee of a Transcarent customer receives an orthopedic consultation through the solution, Roddick said in an email.
This partnership solves a major pain point for employers, Tullman said in a recent LinkedIn post.
“Today the MSK experience for most people is a series of disconnected solutions and isn’t based on a clinical diagnosis. What we’re hearing from employers and the people who need care is a demand for one place to go for high-quality affordable MSK care, not more point apps (digital or not),” Tullman stated.
Roddick added that the collaboration expands access for orthopedic and musculoskeletal care.
“The partnership between Transcarent and ViewFi enables everyday Americans the ability to access the best orthopedic and musculoskeletal physicians in the world, previously reserved for the world’s biggest stars and athletes, at an affordable price,” Roddick said.
Photo: metamorworks, Getty Images
