Cleveland Clinic to offer virtual walk-in kiosks

Cleveland Clinic has entered a joint venture with telehealth technology company Healthspot to offer virtual walk-in kiosks.

The 8-by-5-foot enclosures, which will be outfitted with touch screens, integrated medical devices and two-way videoconferencing capabilities, will enable Cleveland Clinic providers to see and treat patients in a variety of nontraditional healthcare settings, like universities, employers and retail locations. Each station, which is linked to Cleveland Clinic’s EHR, also is supported by a medical assistant, according to an announcement on the partnership.

Patients can utilize the stations without an appointment to receive treatment for minor or common health conditions, including the cold and flu, rashes and skin conditions, eye conditions, earaches, sore throat, sinus infections, upper respiratory infections and season allergies. Digital medical devices embedded in each unit include a stethoscope, scale, blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, thermometer, otoscope and dermascope, and each streams medical information to the provider and patient in real time.

"Healthcare innovation is essential to make care more accessible to patients. This relationship allows patients to utilize the latest technology to connect to Cleveland Clinic experts in a more convenient way," said Toby Cosgrove, MD, CEO and president of Cleveland Clinic, in a statement.