Teladoc Health shares jumped 13.5% in premarket trading after Teladoc Health and Amazon teamed up to launch Teladoc on Alexa.
Teladoc Health today announced a first of its kind experience with Amazon Alexa with the launch of voice-activated general medical virtual care on supported Echo devices, such as an Echo, Echo Dot, and Echo Show. Customers in the U.S. will now be able to connect with a Teladoc care provider 24/7 from supported Echo devices for general medical needs. Teladoc on Alexa will initially launch via audio with video visits coming soon.
“Teladoc Health’s collaboration with Amazon is yet another step in breaking down barriers to healthcare access,” said Donna Boyer, chief product officer, Teladoc Health. “By introducing and integrating our virtual first care experience with Echo devices, we are providing an innovative and convenient way for users to connect with a doctor. We are meeting consumers where they are, to continue to deliver value and high-quality care to members.”
To get started, customers can say, “Alexa, I want to talk to a doctor,” to their supported Echo device to get connected with the Teladoc call center. Customers will then get a call back on their Echo devices from a Teladoc doctor for virtual visits related to non-emergency health needs, such as experiencing symptoms of a cold, flu, or allergies. The cost per visit can be as low as $0 per visit with insurance or $75 without insurance.
“We’re excited to work with Teladoc Health to offer our customers an easy, hands-free way to connect with a doctor,” said Debra Chrapaty, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Amazon Alexa. “Whether they’re taking care of their sick child in the middle of the night or wanting to ask a doctor about allergy symptoms in between meetings during the day, we hope this experience will help customers find the convenient help they want from the comfort of their own home.”
About Teladoc Health
Teladoc Health empowers all people everywhere to live their healthiest lives by transforming the healthcare experience. As the world leader in whole-person virtual care, Teladoc Health uses proprietary health signals and personalized interactions to drive better health outcomes across the full continuum of care, at every stage in a person’s health journey. Ranked best in KLAS for Virtual Care Platforms in 2020 and #1 among direct-to-consumer telehealth providers in the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Telehealth Satisfaction Study, Teladoc Health leverages more than a decade of expertise and data-driven insights to meet the growing virtual care needs of consumers and healthcare professionals.