Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, Durham, is offering telehealth services to its employees through a partnership with Walgreens Take Care Health Systems and telehealth company American Well.

The health insurer, which has thousands of employees in North Carolina, said in a news release that the program will allow it to offer more convenient and cost-effective care. Close to 40% of N.C. Blues employees are enrolled in a consumer-driven health savings account plan, according to the release.

Through the telehealth service, known as OnlineCareNC, the health plan's employees will be able to consult with a Take Care Health System nurse practitioner, health coach or nutritionist from their home or office. The platform lets users connect through two-way video, text chat or phone and will automatically create an electronic health record of the encounter.

Walgreens Take Care Health System already manages Blue Cross' on-site health centers. Employees will be able to connect virtually with a nurse practitioner only after they have established a relationship with a health center provider, the release said.

On Tuesday, Walgreens announced it had entered into contracts with a dozen hospitals and health systems to provide medication management services for admitted and recently discharged patients.