Telemedicine visits expand at FasterCare
Butler Health System has held more than 10,000 telehealth visits in the past two months and is expanding options to patients who might not want to go to a doctor’s office due to the coronavirus pandemic.
FasterCare, BHS’ urgent care system, will start offering widespread telemedicine visits starting Friday. Staff has been testing the system.
“We’ve seen several patients very successfully already,” said Dr. Reginald Reginella, medical director for FasterCare and BHS’ chief medical information officer.
Most patients who would have been seen at a physical FasterCare site — those with upper respiratory complaints, ear infections, urinary tract infections, sore throats or lacerations — can choose instead to have a virtual visit, although some may still have to come in to a physical office.
“If the patient had normally considered visiting FasterCare, they most likely would be able to be seen by FasterCare telehealth,” Reginella said. “The only exceptions we would have to that would be sprains and strains, because we would really like to do X-rays on those.”
Likewise, patients who should have gone to the emergency department for things like chest pain or stroke symptoms should still call 911 or visit the ER directly, Reginella said.
FasterCare telehealth visits will cost $49 for patients who self-pay, and copays are waived for insured patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This is an excerpt from a larger article that appeared in Thursday’s Butler Eagle. Subscribe online or in print to read the full article.
