American health-tech firms Grand Rounds Health and Doctor On Demand have announced their combined integrated virtual care venture will be called “Included Health”.

The new brand, which comes after the two entities merged earlier in 2021, has been announced alongside results of a new national survey that shows nearly half of Americans (45%) are prioritising their health more since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but 43% believe that the very system they rely on feels exclusive.

“Most of us feel marginalised by today’s healthcare, and it’s all about subtraction, taking things away from us,” explains Owen Tripp, CEO of Included Health. “So we’re turning the existing model on its head. We’re adding – more of the right services at the right time with the right practitioners, more availability, more care, for everyone. All included.”

The survey conducted by YouGov among a nationally representative sample of 2,000 U.S. adults found new and unmet demand: 35% of those polled say the pandemic has made them want to find a doctor they can trust, and nearly 40% say it’s made them want to understand their healthcare better. But their number one worry remains understanding their healthcare, and one in four of those polled uses “confusion” to describe the current healthcare system.

“In addition to our healthcare system being confusing, access to comprehensive care is limited. The demand for behavioural health services is rising and too often unmet. Among those polled, 60% agree that the current healthcare system needs to provide better access to mental health. Yet, more than 60% of all counties in the country still lack a single psychiatrist,” says the company.

Adding: “With nearly 40% of Americans planning to use virtual care post-pandemic, Included Health is meeting today’s healthcare needs with high-touch, high-tech care that gives people personalised guidance and access to what they really need: everyday and urgent care, primary care, behavioural health, and speciality care – all integrated, all included.”

The business currently partners with employers and health plans, including the likes of Walmart, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota, and others to deliver what it claims is “comprehensive, convenient care”.

Source: Included Health