CLEVELAND and BOSTON, Oct. 21, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Cleveland Clinic and American Well® are partnering on a first-of-its-kind initiative to provide broad access to comprehensive and high-acuity care services via telehealth. Together, the organizations will form a Cleveland-based joint venture company, named The Clinic™, which will offer virtual care from Cleveland Clinic's highly specialized experts through American Well's well-established digital health technology platform.

The two companies, which bring scale and industry-leading clinical and technological expertise to this long-term effort, are focused on leading the industry toward integrated, digital care delivery models that complement and are connected to traditional care settings.  

"Digital health is one of the fastest growing segments of the healthcare industry. There is an incredible demand for medical care to be delivered in more convenient and integrated ways," said Tom Mihaljevic, M.D., CEO and President of Cleveland Clinic. "This new venture marks the first time that a major digital health technology platform has partnered with a globally recognized healthcare provider to deliver digital solutions for complex healthcare problems. This new digital health service will provide access to world-class Cleveland Clinic expertise and quality of care for patients in the U.S. and internationally."

The Clinic will offer convenient online access to expert care across a wide array of specialties without requiring individuals to leave their homes. Through a secure digital platform powered by American Well, people from around the world will be able to connect with Cleveland Clinic's leading specialists and receive insights, opinions, recommendations, and assistance for a variety of conditions.

"As the adoption and value of telehealth grows, there is significant potential to further advance the digital distribution of care," said Ido Schoenberg, M.D., Chairman and CEO, American Well. "Cleveland Clinic has long been at the forefront of offering virtual visits, and we're thrilled to partner more closely with them to expand the frontiers for digital care delivery."

An early adopter of digital health services, Cleveland Clinic has had a rapid increase in the use of virtual visits to deliver patient care. In 2018 alone, the number of annual virtual visits grew 68%. Telehealth is a key part of Cleveland Clinic's growth strategy to double the number of patients served in the next five years. Cleveland Clinic projects that in just five years, 50% of outpatient visits will be virtual.

Cleveland Clinic and American Well have collaborated since 2014 to deliver non-emergency and specialty care via telehealth through Cleveland Clinic Express Care® Online. The digital health service is available 24 hours a day for patients throughout the U.S. to receive a quick diagnosis for a variety of minor injuries or illnesses through a virtual visit. Appointments are available on demand or can be conveniently scheduled through the Express Care Online app.

About Cleveland Clinic
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. U.S. News & World Report consistently names Cleveland Clinic as one of the nation's best hospitals in its annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey. Among Cleveland Clinic's 66,000 employees are more than 4,200 salaried physicians and researchers and 16,600 nurses, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic's health system includes a 165-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 11 regional hospitals in northeast Ohio, more than 180 northern Ohio outpatient locations – including 18 full-service family health centers and three health and wellness centers – and locations in southeast Florida; Las Vegas, Nev.; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2018, there were 7.9 million total outpatient visits, 238,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 220,000 surgical cases throughout Cleveland Clinic's health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 185 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/CCforMedia and twitter.com/ClevelandClinic. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.

About American Well
American Well is a leading telehealth platform in the United States and globally, connecting and enabling providers, insurers, patients, and innovators to deliver greater access to more affordable, higher quality care. American Well believes that digital care delivery will transform healthcare. The Company offers a single, comprehensive platform to support all telehealth needs from urgent to acute and post-acute care, as well as chronic care management and healthy living. With over a decade of experience, American Well powers telehealth solutions for over 160 health systems comprised of 2,000 hospitals and 55 health plan partners with over 36,000 employers, covering over 150 million lives. For more information, please visit AmericanWell.com.

CONTACTS:
Alicia Reale, Cleveland Clinic
216.445.8324, realeca@ccf.org

Angie Smith, Cleveland Clinic
216.444.1830, smitha@ccf.org

Holly Spring, American Well
781.888.8219, holly.spring@americanwell.com

SOURCE American Well

Related Links

http://www.americanwell.com