Teladoc Health Establishes First and Only Patient Safety Organization (PSO) for Virtual Care
Listed through the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality HHS, the PSO will develop and execute industry-leading quality and safety initiatives
PURCHASE, NY, May 20, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (NYSE: TDOC), the global leader in virtual care, announces that it has established the healthcare industry’s first (PSO) dedicated to virtual care. Listed and certified by the (AHRQ) effective May 8, 2019, this newly formed component entity of Teladoc Health is formally recognized by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as The Institute for Patient Safety and Quality of Virtual Care. The organization will conduct quality and safety initiatives with and on behalf of key healthcare stakeholders, including other PSOs, to improve the delivery of virtual care across the country.
“The establishment of the first PSO focused on virtual care is a significant benefit to the healthcare industry at large and a testament to Teladoc Health’s unwavering commitment to quality care and improved health outcomes,” said Jason Tibbels, M.D., vice president of health services for Teladoc Health and president of the Institute for Patient Safety and Quality of Virtual Care. “As virtual care increasingly becomes the front door for patients and providers alike, we continue to leverage our experience of effectively working with the broader healthcare system while we set the bar for quality.”
The Institute for Patient Safety and Quality of Virtual Care is now part of an elite roster of PSOs commissioned by Congress to study and implement quality-forward initiatives. It will partner with well-recognized leaders in the industry – inclusive of large health systems, healthcare retailers, and other stakeholders – to support their identified research needs and goals for virtual care. Additionally, the PSO can contract with independent researchers and clinicians to collect, aggregate, report, and analyze data, gaining valuable insights that will drive quality improvements.
“We congratulate Teladoc Health on taking the initiative to establish The Institute of Patient Safety and Quality of Virtual Care, and for gaining the inherent credibility that comes with the designation,” said Peggy Binzer, executive director of the , the nation’s leading professional association for PSOs. “The PSO designation signals a true commitment to and leadership in quality and patient safety. We and our many members look forward to collaborating with the Virtual Care PSO to pursue and achieve these important goals.”
The first stated initiative of the PSO will be to build upon existing antibiotic stewardship efforts underway in virtual care. Examples of other potential initiatives range from correlating diagnoses, treatments and outcomes, to analyzing various metrics shaping the patient experience.
About Teladoc Health
A mission-driven organization, Teladoc Health, Inc. is successfully transforming how people access and experience healthcare, with a focus on high quality, lower costs, and improved outcomes around the world. The company’s award-winning, integrated clinical solutions are inclusive of telehealth, expert medical services, AI and analytics, and licensable platform services. With more than 2,000 employees, the organization delivers care in 130 countries and in more than 30 languages, partnering with employers, hospitals and health systems, and insurers to transform care delivery. For more information, please visit or follow on Twitter.
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