One Medical, a membership-based primary care company, is stepping further into the digital chronic care space with the launch of its own product, Impact by One Medical.

The hybrid care provider’s platform includes 24/7 virtual support and integration with remote monitoring tools like Fitbit or Apple HealthKit. Patients also have access to a multidisciplinary care team that includes their primary care provider, health coaches and care navigators as well as educational content and classes.

Impact by One Medical is available to members who clinically qualify without extra fees outside of regular co-pays and claims.

WHY IT MATTERS

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports six in 10 Americans have at least one chronic disease, like heart disease, diabetes or cancer. Those illnesses are a large contributor to death and disability, and to healthcare costs.

One Medical is pitching its solution as a way to address and prevent chronic conditions through its primary care offerings. 

“Chronic illness is among the leading causes of death in America, with over 50% of Americans living with a chronic illness. Yet, our healthcare system has been more focused on developing point solutions like virtual-only monitoring tools and treating those that become critically ill rather than developing cohesive intervention solutions within a primary care setting,” One Medical Chief Quality Officer Dr. Raj Behal said in a statement.

“At One Medical, we’ve always recognized the importance of prevention as well as management of chronic conditions. As we will soon be in markets reaching nearly 40% of the U.S. population, we have an opportunity to continue making a real-world difference with our comprehensive approach, which can reduce the rising costs and hospitalizations caused by chronic illness.”

THE LARGER TREND

Early last month, One Medical finalized its acquisition of senior-focused provider Iora Health for about $1.4 billion. One Medical positioned its purchase as a way to combine two hybrid primary care providers who served different markets, since Iora focused on the Medicare population. 

This summer One Medical staffers announced plans to unionize, citing issues with wages and their workload. The company went public in early 2020 at $14 a share; One Medical stock is currently trading around $21.48 per share.

Digital chronic care management is a growing space. Telehealth giant Teladoc Health announced plans to merge with chronic-care management company Livongo in August 2020, in a deal valued at $18.5 billion. The merger was completed in October that year.

Other companies include Carbon Health, which stepped into digital chronic-care management with the acquisition of diabetes-care platform Steady Health, Omada Health, Sweetch and Lark Health.