Page 21 - Inspire Health September/October 2016
P. 21
dbye telephone tag. Courtesy of St. Luke’s University Health Network To use the service, patients can
As anyone who has sat on download the app and create an account.
the phone, waiting to make Dr. Robert Dolansky Mary Harris Patients then login when they need to
a doctor’s appointment or had to leave a see a doctor. Over a secure line, the
message can attest, it can be frustrating. Patients can also make appointments video visit is similar to any other doctor’s
But in this digital age, patients are more online with a primary care provider. They visit. Based on a conversation and visual
willing to reach out to their health care can go online when it is convenient for assessment, a medical diagnosis may be
providers through email, text and other them and choose an appointment time made and the patient treated accordingly.
means of communication to stay in touch. — evenings and weekends too — that The St. Luke’s Care Anywhere app may
fits their schedule. They also can talk to a be downloaded for free from the iTunes
Data has shown that people are more medical professional through virtual visits App Store or Google Play.
willing to use technology to interact over a cell phone, tablet or computer Health care consumers expect
with their doctors and what’s more, the at any time of day and even get care convenient and easily accessible services,
overall quality of health care is expected immediately without an appointment at and St. Luke’s walk-in sites, the online
to improve through streamlined one of six St. Luke’s Care Now locations. scheduling and virtual visits help meet
communication, increased provider that demand. “We all lead busy lives,”
efficiency, shared decision-making, People can manage and schedule their he said. “We need to take care of our
patient self-management and greater appointments using any computer or medical needs when we think of them,
patient satisfaction. mobile device and then get texts or email or when problems arise.”
reminders and confirmations.
That patients prefer easier ways to An added perk is patients can
access records, set up appointments “It’s providing patients with what choose to select a visit time online,
and see doctors isn’t a surprise to Mary works for them and their busy before they arrive at the Care Now
Harris, vice president, Primary Care schedules,” Harris said. walk-in site — so they don’t have to
Division of St. Luke’s University Health wait in the waiting room.
Network’s Physician Group. St. Luke’s has The virtual visits are through St. Luke’s
strived to provide easier access to care. Care Anywhere program and patients “It’s all about the patient,” Harris said.
pay a $49 fee by credit card at the time “It’s about evolving and making sure we
“The overall advantage is providing of the service. The program is available can be that primary care provider of
patients with easy access to health for patients 18 years or older and patients choice in the region.”
care and providing patients with what 12 years or older when accompanied by
works for them,” she said. “No matter a guardian. It is designed to provide easy “No matter when
when they choose to reach out — access to St. Luke’s services when patients they choose to reach
day, evening, even the middle of the need it, according to Dr. Robert Dolansky, out — day, evening,
night — patients can be scheduling an St. Luke’s network director, Urgent Care.
appointment that works for them.” even the middle of
“Rather than waiting to see a doctor the the night — patients
A survey among adult patients at next day, or taking time off from work, this can be scheduling
community health clinics through the San service is available quickly, conveniently and an appointment that
Francisco Department of Public Health inexpensively,” Dolansky said. “We have
showed a majority of those surveyed become an ‘on-demand’ society. With our works for them.”
favored using technology for health care smartphone, tablet and computer easily by
and that doing so would improve overall our side, we have become so accustomed to — Mary Harris,
communications and efficiency, according channeling the services we need at the time
to a 2013 article on the survey in the we think of them. We buy our shoes online, vice president,
Journal of General Internal Medicine. schedule our hair appointments, and order St. Luke’s University
our dinner. Why not access something as
For the patient, it’s all about convenience. important as our medical care?” Health Network
“The advantages are to provide
patients access to health care that is easy
and flexible,” Harris said. “We wanted
to complement our existing services and
provide an innovative approach to meet
the needs of our patients.”
Locally, St. Luke’s has taken a
multipronged approach toward making
health care easier for patients.
As anyone who has sat on download the app and create an account.
the phone, waiting to make Dr. Robert Dolansky Mary Harris Patients then login when they need to
a doctor’s appointment or had to leave a see a doctor. Over a secure line, the
message can attest, it can be frustrating. Patients can also make appointments video visit is similar to any other doctor’s
But in this digital age, patients are more online with a primary care provider. They visit. Based on a conversation and visual
willing to reach out to their health care can go online when it is convenient for assessment, a medical diagnosis may be
providers through email, text and other them and choose an appointment time made and the patient treated accordingly.
means of communication to stay in touch. — evenings and weekends too — that The St. Luke’s Care Anywhere app may
fits their schedule. They also can talk to a be downloaded for free from the iTunes
Data has shown that people are more medical professional through virtual visits App Store or Google Play.
willing to use technology to interact over a cell phone, tablet or computer Health care consumers expect
with their doctors and what’s more, the at any time of day and even get care convenient and easily accessible services,
overall quality of health care is expected immediately without an appointment at and St. Luke’s walk-in sites, the online
to improve through streamlined one of six St. Luke’s Care Now locations. scheduling and virtual visits help meet
communication, increased provider that demand. “We all lead busy lives,”
efficiency, shared decision-making, People can manage and schedule their he said. “We need to take care of our
patient self-management and greater appointments using any computer or medical needs when we think of them,
patient satisfaction. mobile device and then get texts or email or when problems arise.”
reminders and confirmations.
That patients prefer easier ways to An added perk is patients can
access records, set up appointments “It’s providing patients with what choose to select a visit time online,
and see doctors isn’t a surprise to Mary works for them and their busy before they arrive at the Care Now
Harris, vice president, Primary Care schedules,” Harris said. walk-in site — so they don’t have to
Division of St. Luke’s University Health wait in the waiting room.
Network’s Physician Group. St. Luke’s has The virtual visits are through St. Luke’s
strived to provide easier access to care. Care Anywhere program and patients “It’s all about the patient,” Harris said.
pay a $49 fee by credit card at the time “It’s about evolving and making sure we
“The overall advantage is providing of the service. The program is available can be that primary care provider of
patients with easy access to health for patients 18 years or older and patients choice in the region.”
care and providing patients with what 12 years or older when accompanied by
works for them,” she said. “No matter a guardian. It is designed to provide easy “No matter when
when they choose to reach out — access to St. Luke’s services when patients they choose to reach
day, evening, even the middle of the need it, according to Dr. Robert Dolansky, out — day, evening,
night — patients can be scheduling an St. Luke’s network director, Urgent Care.
appointment that works for them.” even the middle of
“Rather than waiting to see a doctor the the night — patients
A survey among adult patients at next day, or taking time off from work, this can be scheduling
community health clinics through the San service is available quickly, conveniently and an appointment that
Francisco Department of Public Health inexpensively,” Dolansky said. “We have
showed a majority of those surveyed become an ‘on-demand’ society. With our works for them.”
favored using technology for health care smartphone, tablet and computer easily by
and that doing so would improve overall our side, we have become so accustomed to — Mary Harris,
communications and efficiency, according channeling the services we need at the time
to a 2013 article on the survey in the we think of them. We buy our shoes online, vice president,
Journal of General Internal Medicine. schedule our hair appointments, and order St. Luke’s University
our dinner. Why not access something as
For the patient, it’s all about convenience. important as our medical care?” Health Network
“The advantages are to provide
patients access to health care that is easy
and flexible,” Harris said. “We wanted
to complement our existing services and
provide an innovative approach to meet
the needs of our patients.”
Locally, St. Luke’s has taken a
multipronged approach toward making
health care easier for patients.
