Harlem And NYC Hospitals Help NY’s Get To A Doc

Beginning this month, Continuum Health Partners and its member hospitals (in Harlem include St. Luke’s-Roosevelt Hospital Center)…will introduce an exciting new initiative designed to improve access to primary and urgent care through an innovative partnership with Teladoc, the country’s largest telehealth provider.  This new service will offer telemedical and telehealth services directly to patients, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Branded with Beth Israel Medical Center, the program offers Continuum’s physicians as the primary providers to patients either by phone or video.  The program initially will be targeted to New York City residents, with plans to expand at a later date to other regions. It will function as a subscription service with pricing as low as $30 annual membership and a consultation fee of $38 for each physician interaction. Patients may use this service for minor medical conditions as an alternative to ER visits or for when they are unable to get to their physicians

“We are extremely excited to partner with Teladoc on this service,” said Harris M. Nagler, MD, President of Beth Israel. “Teladoc enjoys an excellent track record in developing and implementing telehealth services for health insurers and employers, currently covering 4+ million beneficiaries and employees in the United States.  Their combination of advanced technology, rigorous clinical programs and integration with the healthcare system makes them an ideal partner for Continuum.”

“The Continuum hospital network, with its 4,500 affiliated physicians, is an ideal organization with whom to partner for our first venture marketing directly to consumers with a major healthcare provider,” said Jason Gorevic, CEO of Teladoc.  “Continuum’s commitment to expanding access to primary care has been clearly demonstrated in many ways, most notably through its vast network of physician practices and primary and specialty care locations.  Telemedicine is an ideal complement to these services – and the next phase in broadening its outreach.”

The service may be used when a member is unable to visit their doctor, such as after office hours, and is not a replacement for their primary care physician. Through Teladoc’s service, members may receive treatment for non-emergency medical issues, such as allergies, bronchitis, pink eye, and sinus problems for adults and children. Users may also receive short-term prescriptions for non-controlled substances if medically appropriate. When using the service, patients initially provide a thorough medical history. Patients are guaranteed to speak with a physician within one hour, or the consultation is free. To ensure continuity of care, Teladoc can provide users with a detailed electronic health record (EHR) that can be sent to his or her primary care physician.

Teladoc subscribers whose conditions cannot be resolved over the phone or online, or who require follow-up with a physician in person, will be referred to an emergency department, if that is what is medically appropriate, or to their own physician if they have one. Patients who do not have a primary care physician will be advised of Continuum’s vast array of affiliated physicians, or of other physicians in their area.

Added Dr. Nagler: “We are pleased to present this innovative program to the people of New York City as another example of our commitment to further expand access for everyone to high quality, cost-effective and technologically innovative medical care.”

To learn more about this new service, please go to teladoc.com/bethisrael or call 1-800-TELADOC (835-2362).

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• Harlem And NYC Hospitals Help NY’s Get To A Doc (harlemworldmag.com)