Telehealth apps continue to emerge with more and more convenient options for both patients and providers. And in an age when the “worried well” may schedule unnecessary in-office visits — like during the COVID-19 pandemic — these platforms offer ways to streamline those who need to enter through brick-and-mortar doors. Besides boosting safety for all by keeping those who are sick away from those who aren’t, these tools save office staff time by enabling patient registration and payment collections as part of their offerings. Doctors can potentially see more patients in a day, and the latter can avoid taking time off from work and use a break to log in from their office or even their car. With some platforms that offer functionality to send medication orders and in-app messaging integrated into the EHR, it’s clear that virtual care fosters patient engagement and population health.

1. Chiron Health

Whether it’s routine follow-up visits or minor urgent care, Chiron Health helps practices and patients by enabling virtual-visit scheduling online and by sending appointment reminders via email. The platform also enables easier reimbursements thanks to a custom rules engine that determines eligibility for telemedicine benefits when visits are scheduled. Co-pay and self-pay rates are determined and processed automatically, saving desk staff time on traditional collection methods.

Learn more about Chiron on their website.

2. Healthchat

Healthchat helps eliminate the phone tag, giving doctors the option to follow up on patient inquiries with personalized video messages (or traditional text messages). Follow-up consults for appointments that previously required office visits are billable using Healthchat, and physicians can even interact with other doctors via the platform for a second opinion. Integrated through the EHR, providers and their staff can attach billing codes directly to encounter types for streamlined reimbursements. All conversations are saved so patients can even refer to them later.

Learn more about Healthchat on their website.

3. RoweDocs

While most telemedicine options are geared toward online urgent-care centers, RoweDocs focuses on wellness and illness prevention. RoweDocs’ network is diverse and women-owned, with the goal of building strong relationships between providers and patients; their team of on-call providers is available to RoweDocs adopters to see patients on their behalf. Virtual visits can be used for lifestyle management consults, medication refills and lab work orders. In-office lab work, imaging and physicals are available through users, partner providers online, and geographical area partners.

Learn more about RoweDocs on their website.

4. Qure4U

Qure4u goes a step further than traditional scheduling and telehealth that connects providers and patients—it includes everything from digital check-in, consent forms and patient collections to monitoring of vitals and care plans for all patients. Clinical teams and patients can correspond with in-app secure messaging, and all information is integrated with caretakers’ EHRs. Patients who need in-office visits can even skip the line at the doctor’s office with a feature to check in from home. Qure4u allows practices the option of managing the continuation of care, even when they may have to restrict visits to brick-and-mortar locations.

Learn more about Qure4U on their website and on the athenahealth Marketplace.

5. JoinCareTeam™ by Certintell Telehealth

Engaging with patients is easier with JoinCareTeam’s HIPAA-compliant telehealth portal. Patients can connect with their health providers and care staff, create a plan of action, and track plan progress over time. These team members may include doctors, nurses, health coaches, social workers and even interpreters. JoinCareTeam supports video calls with up to four participants, meaning that the whole care team can connect with the patient at one time. Messaging options keep everyone current, and providers can streamline value-based care with remote health coaches to support their Medicare Care Management services, and more.
 
Learn more about JoinCareTeam™ by Certintell on their website.

(Please note that HIPAA compliance is noted by this Marketplace partner and not certified by athenahealth.)