The COVID-19 public health emergency has providers in all settings reviewing their ability to deliver telemedicine effectively.
NOTE: Allscripts recently developed a virtual series of presentations to make best use of the solutions we had planned to present at HIMSS20. In this session, our telehealth solution is explored in detail for use during the COVID-19 outbreak.
The COVID-19 public health emergency has providers in all settings reviewing their ability to deliver telemedicine effectively.
Both doctors and patients are turning to telemedicine as safer alternative to avoid virus transmission. While telemedicine certainly isn’t a new technology, we are seeing our clients’ interest and use expand rapidly. Knowing that, we want to make it even easier for them to get started quickly.
Allscripts FollowMyHealth® (FMH) developed expedited implementation plans for telehealth as well as additional recommendations and resources for how to best utilize the patient portal. These plans allow clients to be up and running within a matter of days.
With our technology, clients will be able to see patients amid the current COVID-19 outbreak while limiting unnecessary exposure for those who may be experiencing symptoms. This is in-line with recommendations made by the CDC to proactively reach out to patients prior to appointments and explore alternatives to face-to-face triage and visits.
For telehealth specifically, we have three flavors available within FMH:
• Email Visits: This option enables organizations to provide patients with a configurable form they fill out based on their chief complaint. The patient enters a preferred pharmacy and call-back number. The details are sent to the provider and the provider can respond to the patient in a secure message via the EHR. All notes and instructions for the patient flow back to the FMH portal for the patient to review and act upon.
• Scheduled Video Visits: This feature permits patients to meet with a provider via video conference at a specific date and time. These sessions can be scheduled by the organization or by the patient via FMH. At the appropriate time, a provider joins the video conference from the FMH Dashboard and the patient checks in with a preferred pharmacy and call-back number. Just as in an in-person office visit, providers will document in their EHR and all notes and instructions for the patient flow to the FMH portal for the patient to review and act upon.
• On-Demand Video Visits: This option functions like remote urgent care. Providers can specify office hours and the patient can meet via video conference with the first available provider. Just as is true with the other options, the patient enters their preferred pharmacy and call-back number upon check in and can upload images and other information. The provider joins the video conference from the FMH Dashboard, and again, all documented information flows to the FMH portal for the patient to review.
New and existing FMH clients can quickly take steps now to treat patients more safely using email visits, on-demand video visits and scheduled video visits. While this swift implementation is specific to COVID-19, clients will see long-term benefits as they expand and add additional visit types to support behavioral health, chronic care and more.
See a replay of our recent webcast, which includes a discussion of the technical requirements needed for implementation and a demonstration of the solution. The functionality we describe in this webcast for COVID-19 works for many other conditions and is available today.
Learn more about how Allscripts is helping providers combat the spread of COVID-19 with our leading-edge virtual solutions.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared on Allscripts' website.