Virtual care company Teladoc Health announced last week it's expanding its primary care program, Primary360, with same-day medication delivery and at-home lab collection.

The new services come via partnerships with digital pharmacy Capsule and Scarlet Health, a division of BioReference Laboratories that offers specimen collection and delivery. It will also add in-network referrals to its primary care tools. 

Teladoc said the added capabilities will improve care coordination, making it easier for patients to receive their prescriptions and complete lab tests. 

"We are seeing exciting momentum with Primary360," Kelly Bliss, president of U.S. group health at Teladoc Health, said in a statement. "We also know that virtual care is a driver in reducing barriers to healthcare access, and we embrace the opportunity and the responsibility to further advance health equity with Primary360."

THE LARGER TREND

Teladoc launched the primary care offering to health plans, employers and other payers in the U.S. in October last year. Shortly afterward, it announced a partnership with Trustmark Health Benefits to offer a virtual-first insurance plan built around Primary360. 

In February, Teladoc launched a chronic care management program called Chronic Care Complete. The virtual-care giant said the new program and its mental health offerings myStrength Complete and Primary360, were accelerated by the company's 2020 merger with chronic care management company Livongo.

However, Teladoc has struggled financially so far this year. It reported a $6.7 billion net loss in the first quarter, a significant jump from an approximately $200 million loss in Q1 2021. It said the Q1 loss was driven primarily by a $6.6 billion noncash goodwill-impairment charge related to the Livongo acquisition.

In early June, a class action lawsuit was filed against Teladoc, CEO Jason Gorevic and CFO Mala Murthy alleging they had misled investors about its financial prospects. In a statement, Teladoc said there was "no factual basis to the suit whatsoever."

Other companies offering virtual or hybrid primary care include One Medical, Crossover Health and Carbon Health.