A complete array of virtual care capabilities is being offered at Charlotte, N.C.-based Atrium Health to extend healthcare services in Georgia and the Carolinas.
A March 29 news release said the Atrium Health Virtual Edge program builds on more than 10 years of prior innovation in the virtual care space. The pandemic showed the potential of telemedicine and tested how successful it could be in offering quality care.
"Since the beginning, our goal has been crystal clear; to make virtual health an everyday part of how we care for our patients," said Scott Rissmiller, MD, executive vice president and chief physician executive for Atrium Health.
Dr. Rissmiller said telehealth has the capabilities to extend healthcare to rural and underserved areas, where health services are limited. It can also free up bed space, conserving staff time and personal protective equipment, the release said.
Neurology, psychiatry and infectious disease are among the hospital programs that will offer the virtual care program.
For employers, Atrium Health delivers virtual urgent and primary care as part of its employer offerings, which focuses on reducing the cost of care.
Atrium Health has also established a virtual, school-based clinic that provides students with care during school hours, and parents don't have to leave work. On-site nurses refer students to on-call pediatricians, where parents can join the virtual consultation. This has led to 55 percent fewer unnecessary emergency department visits and a 33 percent reduction in school absences.