Sprint Teams with HealthSpot to Offer Virtual Doctors' Appointments

Imagine walking into a private booth at a pharmacy, supermarket or workplace and connecting with a doctor via Sprint’s 4G network. You can have the medical care that you need long after most doctors’ offices have closed. If you live in a rural or underserved area, then you can have access to doctors over a videoconferencing connection.

While this may sound like the stuff of science fiction, Sprint and HealthSpot have teamed up to deliver a real-life virtual health care solution called the Care4 Station. Digital devices inside the booth allow doctors to collect important health information, while prescription information, video, prescriptions and appointment scheduling can be transmitted over Sprint’s wireless network. The videoconference will be in real time and will feature HD technology.

“Sprint is focused on providing enabling technologies to empower caregivers and organizations seeking on-site wellness solutions, thus driving the transformation to a more consumer-driven system and bridging the gap as healthcare evolves to a more virtual model,” explained Wayne Ward, vice president of Sprint’s Emerging Market Solutions group. “Working with innovative companies such as HealthSpot to enable the potential of M2M (machine-to-machine) technology to improve patient wellness and physician efficiency in an on-demand setting is just one example of how connected solutions are changing the way we work and live.”

A study conducted in Barcelona showed that virtual healthcare can be just as effective as a regular doctor’s visit. Virtual appointments were found to be especially effective for patients suffering from chronic but treatable health conditions like HIV, diabetes or heart conditions.

“We’ve optimized our remote care delivery platform to work seamlessly over Sprint wireless networks for an exceptional consumer experience,” said Todd Churchill, HealthSpot’s CTO. “We’re excited to work with a leader in connectivity like Sprint to deploy our solution. This allows us to connect our Care4 Stations nationwide, bringing patients the ultimate in convenient secure healthcare at employer sites, retail locations and more.”