Company to Demo Technology at HIMSS with roll-out in Q2 2016
MDLIVE, a national leader in the rapidly growing telehealth market, today announced that it will complete the migration of its video consult platform to Microsoft Office 365 and Skype for Business during the second quarter of 2016. Office 365 and Skype for Business will provide MDLIVE with a more robust, secure and scalable collaboration platform as it continues to add consumers, physicians, employers, health systems and health plans to its connected care platform.
Skype for Business provides a complete communications platform for customers and partners, including instant messaging, online meetings, HD video conferencing, and telephony. Skype for Business is an integral part of Microsoft Office 365, which was designed to improve productivity, reduce costs, and streamline collaborations for health professionals and others. Office 365 meets many of the compliance regulations for health organizations around the world, including the HIPAA Business Associate Agreement, the breach notification requirements of ARRA/HITECH, and others.
Currently, MDLIVE patients and physicians have to download and install a video application that runs in the background during online consults. With Skype for Business, this is no longer required. Instead, MDLIVE will use the Skype for Business developer platform to integrate video functions directly into MDLIVE’s telehealth platform, which is available on Android, iOS, and Windows. Patients will have a simple, easy-to-use experience and will be able to just click on the “see a doctor link” in the MDLIVE portal or mobile app, and the embedded Skype for Business video consult will start, seamlessly connecting patients to a doctor.
“Skype for Business provides MDLIVE with a much more scalable architecture so we can accommodate even higher volumes of consults daily,” said Randy Parker, founder and CEO of MDLIVE. “The adoption of Skype for Business also enables us to deliver a significantly improved user experience for both patients and physicians.”
“Fueled by the rapid growth in value-based care and increasing consumer demand for more convenient access to care, virtual care is on the verge of rapid, widespread growth. Within a matter of years, patients will expect their providers to offer both virtual and in-person visits. MDLIVE is empowering health systems and providers to meet consumers and patients where they are, independent of time and location, with the next generation Skype for Business platform,” said Neil Jordan, general manager, Worldwide Health at Microsoft.
The adoption of Skype for Business also provides significant advantages for MDLIVE’s physician and health system partners to facilitate more efficient adoption and expansion. Those with Office 365 will be able to utilize their existing Skype for Business subscriptions giving their physicians a more seamless user experience.
MDLIVE will present live demos of virtual consults with its board-certified physicians using the Skype for Business platform at its booth at the HIMSS 2016 Conference & Exhibition, February 29 – March 3, at the Venetian/Sands Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV at booth #12026, Hall G. MDLIVE will also feature a live demo on Tuesday, March 1 at 3:00 PM and Wednesday, March 2 at 5:00 PM at the Microsoft booth #3832.