Increased Access to Care
By completing a sign-up questionnaire, both patients and doctors will answer a series of questions. These will ultimately lead to matches between doctors and patients. Once the match is made, patients will continue to see the same doctor and not be ping-ponged between different providers. The goal is to provide a means for patients to have increased access to care and for doctors to develop relationships with their patients.
Patients will have access to three types of virtual communication with their provider:
- Phone
- Instant message
- Video visit
With the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) now recognizing virtual visits as in-office visits, this not only expands access to care for patients, but allows providers to bill such visits accordingly.
The new PortalConnect Virtual Care offering will allow patients to sign up whether they currently have a primary care doctor or not. If needed, the patient portal provides patients with an easy and secure way of sharing their visit notes and other valuable healthcare information with their current care team. This service ultimately provides patients with an additional means to contact a healthcare professional from the comfort of their own home.
Empowering Patients
The COVID-19 pandemic has made in-office visits difficult, if not impossible. On the flip side, the number of patients who want to speak to a healthcare professional, whether it be about coronavirus symptoms or other, has obviously spiked.
Regardless, patients are scrambling to speak to healthcare professionals, and many are having difficulty doing so. Why? Many doctors and clinics were not using telehealth technology before the pandemic, leading many to try and quickly implement such tools and speak to their patients.
As a result, with the increasing number of providers now on the telehealth wagon, patients are receiving the quality care they need, even at a distance. By having the ability to stay home and minimize any risks, especially for patients who are more vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19, patients feel more in control of their health.
The ease of use and intuitiveness of some of the virtual care technologies available are also helping patients of all ages feel safer and cared for in these uncertain times. Together, we will come out stronger.
