Penn State Health announced this week that a subscription-based virtual care service, currently in beta with employers and educational institutions in central Pennsylvania, will expand access patients statewide by the end of the year.
WHY IT IMPORTANT
Through the new service, called COMMpanion, members can call or text two doctors, three practice nurses, and a team of nurses and health navigators to have their questions answered. them as well as access to wellness guidance and coaching.
As part of a program trial, Penn State Health made COMMpanion services available to students in physician assistant, graduate, and physician assistant programs at Penn State University School of Medicine and their dependents. .
Students are eligible for a subscription discount of $5 per month while coverage for a dependent spouse or significant other is available for $9.99 per month.
“We are delighted to partner with COMMpanion to make it easier for our students to access high-quality care with flexibility tailored to their needs,” said Cassie Farrelly, chief executive officer of the College of Medicine. their own schedules and needs.
Penn State Health says the service will enhance the patient experience beyond what is typically available in an in-person clinic.
The new subscription-based telehealth program also expands the system’s virtual care offerings.
The existing Penn State Health OnDemand plan includes urgent care and some intensive care services, while its virtual intensive care unit provides remote access for intensive care physicians. 24/7, routine patient visits and remote patient monitoring technology can alert care teams to emergency situations.
TREND TO BIGGER
With the COVID-19 outbreak, health systems have turned to digital tools to improve patient engagement, clinical care, and patient outcomes.
University Hospitals use automation to manage care for people with chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, and congestive heart failure.
Brian Zack, chief medical officer for digital health for Cleveland-based systems and associate medical director at Ahuja Medical Center, the virtual care system has become a medical tool. Versatile digital.
Zack says automated chat and screening tools help ease the burden on doctors and chatty patients.
“Automating routine and time-consuming tasks allows frontline workers to focus on what they do best: providing medical care and emotional support,” he said. Healthcare IT News in February.
“It also increases their own sense of connection with patients and their families, and increases job satisfaction.”
“These technologies also help health systems develop deeper patient relationships by increasing the number of empathic, helpful, trusted touchpoints they have with patients, which strengthens loyalty and retention,” Murray Brozinsky, CEO of Conversa Health, now part of telemedicine provider Amwell, said last year.
ON PROFILE
“It is important to provide much-needed primary care where it is most convenient for our patients,” said Chris LaCoe, vice president of virtual health at Penn State Health. “Subscribers will be able to connect with providers within minutes and stay in touch as often as needed through calling and messaging functions.”
Andrea Fox is the senior editor of Healthcare IT News.
Email: [email protected]
Healthcare IT News is a publication of HIMSS Media.
