The National Basketball Players Association has named Teladoc Health as the organization’s preferred virtual primary care provider in a new multi-year agreement.
Through this partnership, current and retired National Basketball Association (NBA) players and their families will have priority access to Teladoc’s virtual care services, including 24/7 urgent care, primary care, mental health, nutrition, dermatology, specialty medical services and physical exams.
Dr. Ethan Burke, Teladoc Health’s chief medical officer and senior vice president of integrated care, told Fierce Healthcare in a statement that the partnership is “aimed at providing an integrated care experience that follows athletes and their families wherever they go in life.”
“The needs of professional athletes highlight a broader truth about health care today: people no longer live, work and receive care in just one place,” Burke said. “People need care that is connected, coordinated, and available wherever they are. Virtual care has the power to make health care more accessible, continuous, and personalized so that people can stay connected to the care they need no matter where they are.”
The partnership also includes VirtualCheckup, Teladoc Health’s clinician-led prevention experience that combines blood tests and key health measures with health history reviews, depression and anxiety screening, risk assessments, and personalized coaching.
“Through our partnership with Teladoc Health, we are ensuring that our players and their families receive uninterrupted, high-quality medical support no matter where they are at the game,” NBPA Chief Player Experience Officer Matteo Zuretti said in a statement. “Their dedication to seamless continuity of care and access to the best services makes them an ideal partner.”
According to a July 8 announcement, the organizations will host a preventive health screening for NBPA members at the Las Vegas Summer League. NBPA currently has approximately 450 members.
“Healthcare should be seamlessly integrated into people’s lives, including professional athletes and their families,” Brian Serfas, Teladoc Health chief marketing officer at Group Health, said in a statement.
“With demanding schedules, frequent travel, relocations, and long periods away from home, professional sports families need flexible, reliable, and accessible care,” Serfas said. “We are proud to partner with the NBPA to help athletes and their families receive consistent, personalized care. This is a meaningful step in our continued commitment to meeting people where they are by making care more connected to everyday life and convenient.”
The company’s services are accessed by more than 100 million people and work with more than 100 health plans in the United States.
In late May, Teladoc announced a new partnership with Walmart to offer services through the retailer’s Better Care Services platform. Walmart customers can access the company’s virtual clinics for a single cash payment of $89.
We also recently partnered with Instacart to offer cardiometabolic programs directly within our app’s Grocery Access.
