During flu season, while coronavirus persists, and any other time you're feeling ill and want to rest at home, you can use your phone instead of your vehicle to access the care you need. New digital and virtual care options make it easier to take the proper precautions to help reduce the risk of exposure to yourself and others.
Outside of emergencies, start with a phone call or a message in MyChart to find out if receiving care from home is the best option for you.
Patient Portals
Patient portals such as MyChart keep you connected with your medical team by allowing you to exchange messages and even photos that relate to clinical inquiries. Through MyChart, you also have secure access to:
- Lab results
- Prescription refills
- Paperless and online bill pay
- Health history
- Medical advice and resources
- Proxy access to view medical records of your children, parents or others whose health you are monitoring
This also reduces the need to travel and improves access for those in remote areas.
Video Visits
Telemedicine can also be helpful when a phone call or patient portal messaging isn’t enough. Video and other virtual visits typically require that you download a HIPAA-compliant app that your physician or healthcare organization uses; then you can connect with your physician or practitioner for virtual "office visits" from the safety of your home. Find out more from our virtual visit guide.
If your physician is unavailable, your video visit may be scheduled with one of our new Family and Community Medicine specialists known as "virtualists." These doctors specialize in using telemedicine platforms for:
- New patient visits
- Acute same-day visits
- Followup visits
- Chronic condition management
- Medicare wellness visits
Video visits, including those with our virtualists, make traveling for a doctor visit unnecessary. This reduces the spread of infection while allowing patients to rest comfortably at home instead of in a waiting room.
Virtual Urgent Care
MyChart users can call to schedule an urgent care video visit with a VelocityCare provider.
Learn more about your digital health options to help ensure that you have continued access to the same high-quality care you are used to.
Text Message Reminders
And don't forget to sign up for text message reminders of upcoming appointments! Every missed appointment is an opportunity lost for another patient who needs care.
If you have any questions about whether these options are right for you, reach out to your primary care physician.
