Oak Orchard Health, is a FQHC located in Brockport NY. The health system offers its patients an array of health services, including primary care, pediatric care, behavioral health, vision care, dental care, and patient engagement.
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic Oak Orchard Health like all other healthcare organizations was unable to offer face-to-face care. Patients were advised to practice social distancing and avoid in-person contact to stay protected from the deadly new virus which unfortunately took many lives all over the world.
Challenges Faced by Oak Orchard Health
Health services became even more critical due to the pandemic. As a rural federally qualified health center, Oak Orchard Health faced many challenges aggravated by the coronavirus.
Patients could not receive safe and reliable transportation to the health center. During these trying times, the health system was quick enough to shift toward virtual care options. Oak Orchard Health leveraged Telemedicine EMR Software solutions to offer patients the convenience to receive prompt diagnosis and treatment from the comfort of their homes.
eClinicalWorks healow telehealth platform
Oak Orchard Health leveraged eClinicalWorks healow platform to deliver care remotely. Telehealth has helped the health system to offer uninterrupted medical, dental, and behavioral health care.
The healow telemedicine software enables providers to view patients from any location from their smartphones, and laptops. It is a flexible and comprehensive solution designed for specialists and primary care providers to provide remote care in a breeze.
Health system providers could easily use the new telehealth solution because of its intuitive design and user interface. It wasn’t an added burden but equipped the health system to offer truly effective virtual care and be fully compliant with HIPAA laws.
Telemedicine EMR Software resolves issues for Oak Orchard Health
Telehealth technology has helped to solve the following three issues which the health system was facing:
- Firstly, during the pandemic, the virtual care platform helped to offer remote care when one-one appointments were near to impossible.
- Secondly, patients in rural areas had transportation issues, and telemedicine alleviated the need to travel to Oak Orchard Health. Now patients can see a provider from their homes, making care more affordable and convenient.
- Recently, the health center has been facing provider shortages. The telemedicine platform enabled the extension of healthcare services.
Positive results even beyond the Covid-19 pandemic
The number of virtual visits increased every year. This sheds light that telehealth was seen as an effective remote care option by patients and responded effectively to the coronavirus crisis. Telemedicine sessions helped the FQHC keep patient visits up in 2020 when the pandemic was booming.
Following is the number of patients seen through telehealth solutions each year:
- 2018:0
- 2019:55
- 2020:17,975
- 2021:7,688
- 2022:5,690
Telemedicine EHR software is a great way to enhance access to care and help patients connect with the best specialists from their homes. Almost all hospitals and clinics in the US offer virtual care solutions to their patients, so they can receive quick and accurate care for non-emergency health issues.
