Telehealth service launched for college students

CampusMD, which provides college students with around-the-clock mobile access to U.S.-licensed physicians, has launched a nationwide telehealth service available either directly to students and their parents or through wholesale arrangements with partner colleges and universities. The company currently has partnerships with four institutions.

"CampusMD complements on-campus health services with immediate, affordable, integrated care," said Campus MD CEO Devin Schain in a release, by providing "access to doctors who can treat more than 500 common conditions as effectively as with an office visit, but at a fraction of the cost." Schain said a successful beta test last fall provided a foundation for the new service.

Students or their parents can purchase a CampusMD membership that includes unlimited access by phone or the Internet to a doctor for information, consultation and diagnosis, including prescriptions with a discount card. Students do not need health insurance to use the service. Alternatively, institutions can purchase coverage for the entire student body on a wholesale basis.

According to a U.S. Government Accountability Office study, an estimated 20 percent of college students ages 18-23 are uninsured and many more are underinsured.