Zipnosis expanded its telehealth platform with a module designed to connect patients to post-operative care services following orthopedic surgery, the virtual care company confirmed April 11.
The surgical care module enables hospitals and surgery centers to transition select in-person post-operative visits to Zipnosis' online platform. As part of a post-operative care plan, a hospital or surgery center determines at which points a patient should complete a virtual check-in, which comprises a brief online interview and uploading a photograph of the incision site.
A member of the facility's surgical team is able to review the patient's responses to determine whether he or she should visit the clinic for a more in-depth evaluation.
Zipnosis officials said telehealth visits are a cost-effective option for post-operative care, since most surgeries are reimbursed as a bundled payment.
"This module eliminates the need for patients to travel post-surgery and creates time efficiencies for surgical staff, enabling them to focus on new patients and helping existing patients with more complex needs," Kevin Smith, chief medical information officer of Zipnosis, said in an April 11 statement.
The surgical care module represents one of the company's first moves into continuous care, as Zipnosis has traditionally focused on one-off urgent care visits. Zipnosis plans to add additional post-operative care options beyond orthopedic surgery in the near future, according to company officials.