What happened

Teladoc Health has announced the launch of a virtual health service designed to accommodate companies whose employees span national borders. Called Teladoc Global Care, the new 24-7 service is delivered through the company’s mobile app and available in more than 20 languages, according to Teladoc.

Why it matters

A recent report suggests the global number of expatriates grew to more than 66 million in 2017, and continues to rise. Teladoc’s new service could reduce the burden on multinational companies looking to provide health benefits for these employees.

Their take

Teladoc said in a statement that its service goes beyond simply providing care in an individual’s native language. These physicians will also be equipped with the cultural background and local health system know-how necessary when taking on non-emergency cases in various regions.

On the record

“Regardless of their location, when an individual is seeking care for themselves or for a family member, they need to have complete confidence in the medical decisions being made,” Lew Levy, chief medical officer at Teladoc Health, said in a statement. “With our global physician network, Teladoc Health can uniquely provide the comfort and clinical expertise for members whether they are home or thousands of miles away from home. We’re reducing stress, we’re lowering costs, and we’re improving care around the globe.”

What is the trend

Several enterprise companies have looked to provide their telehealth services in specific countries, such as Mexico’s Hova Health, or to provide their standard service in additional languages. Teladoc is by no means the only virtual care company to expand its business beyond borders (see Swedish telemedicine provider Kry’s most recent market goals), but its claim of “worldwide” coverage is among the most ambitious.