Trucking and transportation companies across the country now can access on-demand virtual healthcare through a new partnership between national telehealth provider MeMD and the Healthy Transportation Foundation (HTF), a national not-for-profit foundation advocating and supporting health and well-being of professional truck drivers.
The partnership, part of HTF’s Shift Into Better Health initiative, enables the foundation’s member companies to sign on for telehealth solutions that meet the specific needs of drivers, including MeMD’s Urgent Care and Virtual Primary Care solutions.
“This is a meaningful partnership that extends the value of our Shift Into Better Health campaign, enabling HTF to improve access to care for professional drivers by offering virtual telehealth consults that can be accessed on and off the road,” says Jon Slaughter, CEO, Healthy Transportation Foundation.
With Urgent Care, drivers have 24/7 access to high-quality medical care for common illnesses and injuries via computer, mobile app or phone – including nights, weekends and holidays. This is important since most drivers work outside the traditional 9-5 workday.
“What we’ve learned in our work with transportation companies is that drivers’ schedules make it difficult for them to see a doctor when they’re sick or injured,” says Bill Goodwin, CEO, MeMD. “This results in a lot of absenteeism, which creates scheduling problems and delivery delays – especially for smaller companies. With virtual urgent care, it’s fast and easy for drivers to connect with a medical provider on the road, even in remote areas.”
In creating the partnership with MeMD, HTF also prioritized chronic disease management for the seven million professional drivers it represents. The organization reports that more than 60% of drivers experience obesity, more than 60% have diabetes and related health conditions, and more than half suffer from hypertension. Meanwhile, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that chronic conditions are the leading drivers of healthcare costs for businesses.
MeMD’s Virtual Primary Care solution directly addresses these issues. Providers play a key role in chronic disease care while also focusing on routine screening, early detection and preventive health services. In addition, medical professionals are available outside typical office hours to accommodate drivers’ schedules and remove barriers to care.
“This translates into better management for chronic disease while curbing healthcare costs,” adds Slaughter. “As a result, we expect to contribute to improved individual health, employee productivity and satisfaction. MeMD is an ideal complement to our free health coach assistance and lifestyle change programs.”
All told, the partnership is a major step forward in advancing HTF’s primary goal: to keep professional drivers and other transport workers at peak health so they can remain productive and stay safe behind the wheel.
MeMD’s virtual care solutions are trusted by more than 30,000 corporate, institutional and health plan partners nationwide covering more than 5 million members. Services include primary care, urgent care, men’s and women’s health, teletherapy, teen therapy and telepsychiatry.
MeMD is a comprehensive telehealth solution providing on-demand, online care for common illnesses, injuries and behavioral health issues to consumers and businesses nationwide. The company leverages the latest technologies and a highly skilled network of providers and therapists to treat the whole person, affordably and conveniently, from a computer, phone or mobile device.
Healthy Transportation Foundation (HTF) is 501(c) (3) non-profit organization founded in 2008 that seeks Federal, State and Philanthropic funding to assist with research, driver health and wellness awareness and lifestyle change program (LCP) subsidy to participating Fleets and drivers.
