Fort Myers, Fla.-based Lee Health's telehealth services, which normally cost $49 per visit, are now being offered for free as the health system sees an increase in COVID-19 cases, Wink News reported Jan. 7.
Wait times at urgent care facilities and emergency rooms have been reported to be hours long because of the increased demand for COVID-19 testing and care.
By offering its telehealth services for free, Lee Health aims to "relieve some of the burden" hospitals are facing because of the ongoing pandemic, according to the report.
"Telehealth is perfect, too, for your own convenience but also to offload some of the burden that we're seeing inside the emergency rooms, in the hospitals, making sure the most appropriate patients get the right care," Jonathan Witenko, system director of virtual health and telemedicine at Lee Health, told Wink News. "So for basic symptoms, for basic issues that can be easily done via telehealth, that's what we're encouraging."
The Lee TeleHealth app can be downloaded on Android and iOS devices.