Brittany Florian, APRN, Northeast Medical Group, recently conducted an OnDemand visit from the Huntington Walk-In Medical Center. Between the early spring and end of 2020, YNHHS and Yale Medicine clinicians conducted more than 500,000 video visits and Tele-ICU interventions, compared to fewer than 400 in 2019. Halfway through 2021, clinicians have completed more than 300,000 telehealth visits.
You wake up on your day off, ready to tackle a long list of errands, but find you have a fever, sore throat and aches. What should you do?
How about scheduling a quick video visit with a YNHHS provider?
With YNHHS’ Video Care OnDemand, you can connect to Northeast Medical Group walk-in practice clinicians from your smartphone, tablet or computer. Clinicians can diagnose symptoms, prescribe medication and send prescriptions to your pharmacy. You can schedule a Video Care OnDemand visit by:
Video Care OnDemand is available for COVID and many minor, non-urgent illnesses or injuries, including cold or flu symptoms; eye, ear or upper respiratory infections; back, neck or other joint pain; bruises; sprains or strains; and other concerns. With newly expanded hours, OnDemand care is now available seven days a week, 8 am - 8 pm, excluding major holidays. There is no copay for OnDemand for individuals covered by the YNHHS health insurance plan.
Video Care OnDemand is a video visit with an NEMG provider; it is not a video visit with your primary care provider or a specialist.
“OnDemand appointments are quick and easy to schedule and save time,” said Scott Sussman, MD, YNHHS physician executive director, Telehealth. “Often, a diagnosis can be made via video, saving the patient a trip to a doctor’s office or healthcare facility.”
Video Care OnDemand is among a number of telehealth services YNHHS offers.
For the past 10 years, telehealth has become increasingly important in helping YNHHS and Yale Medicine clinicians care for patients. With COVID-19, the use of telehealth exploded, as many physicians relied on it to connect with patients. Now, all YNHHS patients can connect with their providers through MyChart. Epic, the health system’s electronic medical records system, helps support the video visits.
Whether through Video Care OnDemand or a pre-scheduled appointment with your YNHHS provider, all video visits are secure and meet HIPAA privacy requirements.
The flexibility telehealth services provide helps enhance care quality and patient satisfaction by eliminating unnecessary office visits, reducing wait times and improving physician-patient communications.
“Telehealth is part of the transformation of health care going forward,” said Dr. Sussman. “It offers the opportunity to use technology in new ways to improve care access, efficiency and convenience.”
“I find that I have more time with patients during a telehealth visit,” said Vikram Rao, MD, NEMG Internal Medicine. “Several of my patients, who range in age from young adults to seniors, became more comfortable with video visits once they experienced them during the pandemic. Now, many tell me they prefer them for routine or non-urgent medical needs, or for a consult to determine if they might need more emergent care.”
Most video visits are billed for the same amount as an in-person visit, including for employees on the YNHHS medical plan. If you have questions about how your telehealth visit will be billed, call a patient resource coordinator at 844-543-2147, option 3, or contact your insurance company.
