Centivo, an employer-focused healthcare company, announced the launch of Centivo Care, a virtual primary care practice, on Thursday.

The Buffalo, New York-based company serves self-funded employers and functions as an alternative to traditional health insurers by offering health plans centered around primary care. Its Centivo Care program is integrated into Centivo-administered health plans.

Through Centivo Care, patients gain access to free virtual primary care appointments. They also receive a dedicated primary care team and behavioral health support, as well as after-hours support if needed. In addition, patients can connect with their providers via the Centivo Care app. If a patient requires specialized care, Centivo Care can connect them to in-network virtual or community providers.

On the Centivo Care app, members can also review their personalized care plans, request prescription refills, receive reminders for preventive care and schedule in-person care.

The launch of Centivo Care comes after the company’s May acquisition of Eden Health, a virtual-first medical provider. Centivo Care has also received Patient-Centered Medical Home accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance, according to the announcement.

The benefit of virtual care is that it can make care more continuous and personalized. Dr. Wayne Jenkins, chief medical officer at Centivo, recalled when the company first started offering virtual care during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We had a patient that called in and said, ‘Hey, I have a primary care doctor and I haven’t seen them, but I injured my back and I’m going to the ER.’ We just said, ‘Hey, let’s see our virtual doctor,’ and then that person stayed on,” he said in an interview. “I could give many examples, but it’s very popular.”

To measure the success of Centivo Care, the company is tracking customer satisfaction, as well as quality measures like diabetic control, hypertension control and if people are going to the emergency room, Jenkins said. In addition, it will measure if the program has any effect on healthcare costs for employers and members.

In launching Centivo Care, Jenkins said he ultimately hopes to make care more accessible and affordable.

“I think the way that this will evolve over the next two to four years is it will add to our ability to deliver more affordable care that the employers often push back to those members,” he said. “To me, the goal is just advancing that access to everyone, and then making it more affordable for them.”

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