By Hailey De La Vara, Transcript Reporter
Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) is now offering students a free primary healthcare app, that delivers diagnosis and treatment from board-certified physicians via private and secure in-app messaging.
The 98point6 app is revolutionizing the medical industry. It has the potential to be valuable to students by granting access to care at any time: no appointment, no waiting, and no insurance required.
OWU faculty are striving to market this new service to students. Leading the efforts to implement the 98point6 partnership on campus is Douglas Koyle, associate dean for student success.
Koyle enthusiastically announced the service over email to students and intends to help students understand what it is and how to use it. A team from 98point6 will be on campus on Wednesday, Nov. 28 to help promote the app, he said.
Furthermore, the process to receive the personal health care plan is rapid, with only three brief steps.
First, a user would explain their symptoms or ask questions to the app’s automated assistant. One of the doctors would then assess the symptoms and diagnose health issues. Finally, a user would then receive a thorough explanation of the diagnosis. The care plan will be available in the app, and any prescribed medications or labs will be sent to the preferred pharmacy or lab center.
If follow up care is needed, the service will then refer a student to OWU’s campus-based services to ensure the student is receiving the proper guidance for their medical needs.
Dwayne Todd, vice president for student engagement and success, acknowledged the nationwide success of the service and is hopeful for the future.
“98point6 is an established health care service provider that has had much success providing such services to employees of partner companies,” Todd said. “They are branching out into the higher education market and we are one of three campuses in the country to be invited to partner with them in this expansion.”
OWU President Rock Jones also applauded the addition of the service.
“I am pleased to see the addition of this new resource for student health care on campus. I am grateful to Doug Koyle and to others who provided leadership in bringing this attractive service to OWU,” Jones said.