LG TVs will soon offer access to doctors and dentists virtually for a flat fee

While other manufacturers are using CES 2022 to talk about the latest and greatest picture technologies like Sony’s new QD-OLED TV, LG used part of its keynote to talk about the new health platform coming to its 2021 and 2022 TV models.

The new LG Health platform includes workouts from Peloton and LG’s own Fitness app, as well as telehealth appointments through Independa. 

According to a press release sent to TechRadar about the announcement, Independa’s services include Dentulu (online dental consultation), Capital Rx (discount pharmacy platform), Coverdell (dental insurance benefits), WebMD (medical grade educational videos), and Sprio100 (fitness programs for seniors), among others.

You’ll be able to schedule the appointments with telehealth providers directly through the app and a QR code for your smartphone, and Independa says it plans on charging a flat fee of $75 for a dentist call and $55 for a doctor, though some folks might be able to have the fee covered by their insurance. (Note: no UK or AU pricing or availability has been released, but we’ll update this story if that information becomes available.)

Analysis: Is it outlandish to visit a doctor on your OLED TV? 

While it’s easy to dismiss this story as another attention-grabbing CES sound bite from a major manufacturer, there are some real-world implications here. 

For one, being able to talk to a doctor through another medium – in this case your TV – could be a real advantage for folks who can’t find a way over to their general practitioner every few weeks and could help address smaller issues that would’ve otherwise gone untreated.

That said, the bar is raised higher for any app that attempts to offer health advice. It requires a lot of confidential transferring of data between the two parties and a way to share any information talked about in an appointment with the patient’s regular provider. 

The app will also have to be incredibly intuitive to setup and use, and not invade the user’s privacy when not in use – some big concerns that Independa will have to justify to users when they try it on their 2021 and 2022 LG TVs.

Via The Verge