Reid Health to offer ‘virtual visits’ to patients

Reid HealthNOW, a new virtual visit program coming to Reid Health in December, will allow patients to receive care for medical needs through their smartphone, tablet or computer and further expand telehealth services to patients throughout the region, health system officials say.

Reid Health is one of only five organizations in Indiana launching the program in a state pilot. Reid physicians will provide coverage for the pilot, powered through a partnership with American Well – a national telehealth services provider. “The technology will add to the health system’s telehealth services, which already include nurse-facilitated telemedicine visits with Reid Health specialists for patients in regional satellite offices,” said Melinda Schriver, director of telehealth services for Reid Health.

Reid HealthNOW will be produced in a partnership with American Well, a telehealth services provider that works with leading health systems, health plans, and employers to make online doctor visits available to patients.

“Using Reid HealthNOW, patients will be able to go online from home, work, or on-the-go to request on demand video physician visits and physicians can schedule virtual visits as well,” Schriver said. “Such virtual urgent visits are appropriate for health concerns such as cough and cold symptoms, sore throat, sinusitis, skin irritations and other minor medical concerns. This is a very convenient option for patients and reflects our commitment to pioneer new technologies that help us provide the highest-quality and most convenient care for our community.”

Craig Kinyon, Reid President/CEO, said the service is a perfect fit in extensive efforts to offer access to care, convenience and affordable services. “This reflects our commitment both to enhance access to care for our patients and to reduce costs for our patients and their insurers,” he said. “While our initial focus is on meeting the demand for more convenient access to care for certain acute conditions, Reid HealthNOW and our partnership with American Well will facilitate the expansion of the service to enhance care for our chronic care patients, increase wellness offerings to regional employers, increase convenient access to both primary and specialty follow-up care, and much more.”

Reid’s long-standing commitment to provide high-quality medical care through advanced technologies is evident in its adoption of such innovations as the Da Vinci Surgical System, Sensei X Robotics, and telehealth, Schriver said. “With virtual visits, Reid Health continues its dedication to providing residents with ground-breaking technological advances in health care,” Schriver said.
“Reid Health shares our vision to extend the trust patients have in their doctors beyond the walls of the hospital. Together we have the opportunity to bring care into people’s homes, directly to families and into local communities,” said Danielle Russella, President, Customer Solutions, American Well. “Reid Health is leading the way with the innovative idea of utilizing technology to deliver more accessible healthcare, something we not only believe in, but are rapidly putting into place.”

With Reid HealthNOW, the average visit length is 10 minutes, with a low fee for each visit. The patient’s visit summary and treatment plan will be available in the patient’s medical record.

Telemedicine services like virtual visits have become a very popular option for patients and providers alike, Schriver added. The patient satisfaction rate for Reid Health specialty telemedicine visits, for example, is 99.6%. To learn more about Telehealth at Reid, please call Melinda Schriver, (765) 935-8769.

About American Well
American Well has delivered healthcare into people’s homes and workplaces for close to a decade. American Well’s telehealth app, Amwell, connects people with board-certified doctors, dieticians, and psychotherapists for video visits over smartphone, tablet, kiosk, phone, or desktop. Amwell is the #1 most downloaded telehealth app and averages a 4.8 out of 5 Star rating by consumers. American Well serves the nation’s top health systems and health plans, more than 600 major employers and more than 25 million covered consumers. For more information, please visit www.americanwell.com.