ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — St. Peter’s Health Partners announced it is expanding its VirtualHealth services to help better connect patients with their health care providers during the COVID-19 outbreak.
“We have seen a significant decline in visits to our medical practices, particularly primary care,” said Kellie Valenti, president of St. Peter’s Health Partners Medical Associates. “That decline makes clear many of our patients could be neglecting potentially preventable conditions and diseases that if left uncontrolled, could have devastating consequences. VirtualHealth restores this critical communication and puts a patient’s health care in the palm of their hand.”
St. Peter’s Virtual Health is open to both existing as well as new patients and uses secure telehealth technology to safely connect providers with patients using audio and video from the patient’s own home.
Patients have the option of choosing between two platforms:
VirtualVisit
- Open to the public
- Urgent care
- Available on demand
- Out-of-pocket cost of $25 or $50
VirtualCare
- Established patients
- New patients welcome
- Scheduled general medical care
- Scheduled specialty visits
- Scheduled annual visits
- Billed to insurance
For most cases there will not be a fee associated with VirtualCare sessions and in an instance where there is a fee, a patient’s insurance will be billed as it normally would for an office visit.
Both VirtialVisit and VirtualCare are available using a smart phone, tablet, or computer equipped with both sound and video as well as a stable internet connection.
St. Peter’s says while these services can provide patients with an option during the COVID-19 crisis, it is important that anyone experiencing serious health issues such as heart attack and stroke symptoms should still call 911 and seek emergency care.
“Our doctors, nurses, physical therapists, laboratory techs and other health care professionals continue to follow the most up-to-date infection control procedures to ensure the safety of patients and staff, in those instances where an in-person visit is critical,” said Valenti. “From our waiting rooms, to patient care rooms, to laboratory sites, we are working vigorously to ensure that St. Peter’s emergency departments, medical offices and other point-of-care sites are safe.”
Click here to access St. Peter’s VirtualHealth option.
