Pre-pandemic, remote medical visits were often stymied by insurance companies and state medical boards. But COVID-19 made telemedicine essential. That was a boon for Teladoc Health. Think of the remote medical service like a virtual urgent-care clinic where a doctor is always on call; it provides a variety of nonemergency services, and doctors can write prescriptions. Teladoc’s total visits increased to over 10 million in 2020, up from just over 4 million in 2019. Now, the company is adding the ability to automatically upload data from connected medical devices—all without the waiting rooms and paper gowns.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- L.A. Fires Show Reality of 1.5°C of Warming
- How Canada Fell Out of Love With Trudeau
- Trump Is Treating the Globe Like a Monopoly Board
- Bad Bunny On Heartbreak and New Album
- 10 Boundaries Therapists Want You to Set in the New Year
- The Motivational Trick That Makes You Exercise Harder
- Nicole Kidman Is a Pure Pleasure to Watch in Babygirl
- Column: Jimmy Carter’s Global Legacy Was Moral Clarity
