eVisiting the electronic MD
Dr. William Corbett
If you have ever suffered with conjunctivitis, you know the symptoms are hard to miss. While not an emergency, it is important to get treatment as soon as possible, even when your doctor's office is closed, and even better, from the comfort of home. At UMass Memorial Health Care, we are using technology to make the delivery of health care faster, safer, more accessible and affordable.
UMass Memorial Health Care is debuting a groundbreaking online diagnosis and treatment service called eVisit, through a partnership with Minneapolis-based Zipnosis, that will be introduced as a pilot program to connect a group of UMass Memorial patients with UMass Memorial clinicians for prompt, high-quality virtual care for common health concerns such as colds and flu, sinus infections, female bladder infections and yes, conjunctivitis. All it requires is is a web-enabled device such as a computer, tablet or smart phone. If all goes well, we plan to offer the service more broadly in 2016.
UMass Memorial has as longstanding commitment to improve patient care through innovative technology. In 2007, UMass Memorial Medical Center was the first hospital in the state to implement a novel eICU system that augments bedside care by remotely monitoring critically ill patients – adding an important layer of safety that yields better outcomes. Our Telestroke Program enables Medical Center neurologists with stroke care expertise to remotely examine, diagnose and manage stroke patients at our affiliated community hospitals. –Users will start by signing into the secure eVisit website and completing an online interview. This process typically takes less than five minutes to complete.
The user's medical history and symptoms will be instantly sent to a UMass Memorial provider for review. During normal operating hours the user will be notified within an hour via text or email that the treatment plan is available for viewing in the online eVisit account, and. will remain available in the user's secure account for future reference. A visit summary will be generated for the UMass Memorial medical record. If the treatment plan includes a prescription medication, the prescription can be sent electronically to the pharmacy of choice.
If a condition is not suitable for virtual care, eVisit is designed to triage the user to the appropriate level of care, either by making an appointment with the primary provider, or referring the user to a nearby urgent care center or emergency department.
The eVisit service will be accessible 24 hours a day, with provider diagnosis and treatment available from 7 am to 10 pm daily. After-hours requests will receive priority response the following morning.
All eVisit records will become part of the UMass Memorial medical record, so all involved in a patient's care is current with a patient's health history. This saves time and reduces errors such as duplicate prescriptions or drug interactions – and enhances patient safety.
Some health concerns simply do not require the time and expense of an in-person hospital or doctor visit. For patients comfortable with the concept of virtual health care, eVisit promises to be just what the doctor ordered.
William Corbett, MD is senior vice president, community practices, UMass Memorial Medical Group and Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School
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