Penn State Health adds new member-based virtual service

Penn State Health announced this week that a subscription-based virtual care service, currently in beta with employers and educational institutions in central Pennsylvania, will expand access to patients statewide at the end of the year.

why it matters

Through the new service, called COMMpanion, members can call or message two physicians, three nurse practitioners and a team of nurses and health navigators to get their questions answered and access health coaching and care navigation.

As part of the program’s trial, Penn State Health is providing COMMPanion services to students in the medical, graduate and physician’s assistant programs at Penn State College of Medicine and their dependents.

Students are eligible for a low subscription price of $5 per month, while coverage for a dependent spouse or significant other is available for $9.99 per month.

“We are pleased to partner with COMMPanion to provide our students with easy access to high-quality care with the flexibility to suit their unique schedules and needs,” said Cassie Farrelly, Chief Operating Officer for the College of Medicine.

Penn State Health says the service will enhance the patient experience beyond what is traditionally available in an in-person clinic.

The new subscription-based telehealth program also expands the system’s virtual care offerings.

The existing Penn State Health On Demand program includes urgent care and some specialty care services, while its virtual intensive care unit provides 24/7 remote access to intensive care physicians, regular patient checkups and remote patient monitoring technologies that allow care teams to quickly Can alert you to situations. ,

big trend

With the onset of COVID-19, health systems are looking to digital tools to improve patient engagement, clinical care, and patient outcomes.

University Hospitals uses automation to provide care for people with chronic conditions such as asthma, diabetes and congestive heart failure.

Virtual care systems have become a multi-use digital health tool, according to Dr. Brian Zack, medical director of Cleveland-based Systems for Digital Health and assistant chief medical officer at Ahuja Medical Center.

Zack said the screening tools and automated chats help ease the burden on physicians and patients like chat.

“Automating tasks that are routine and time-consuming enables frontline workers to focus on what they do best: providing medical care and emotional support,” he said Healthcare IT News in February.

“It also enhances their own sense of connection with patients and their families, and increases professional satisfaction.”

“These technologies help health systems develop deeper patient relationships with their patients by increasing the number of empathetic, helpful, relatable touchpoints that strengthen loyalty and retention,” said Murray Brozinski, CEO of Conversa Health. who are now part of telehealth vendor Amwell said last year.

On the record

“It is important to provide much-needed primary care where it is most convenient for our patients,” Chris Lako, vice president of virtual health at Penn State Health, said in a statement. “Subscribers will be able to connect with a provider within minutes, and stay in touch as often as needed via text and call functions.”

Andrea Fox is a senior editor for Healthcare IT News.
Email: afox@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.