Healthcare providers are making old-fashioned house calls with the help of some very modern-day technology through SSM Health’s recently launched web-based diagnosis and treatment service.
The virtual visit service, designed to address a variety of common, non-urgent ailments, is open to both new and established SSM patients and available to those with or without insurance, with users paying a flat fee of $25 per visit via credit, debit, or health savings account card, says Dr. Jennifer Wessels, vice president of Medical Practice for SSM Health in St. Louis.
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“We’re here to make sure patients are taken care of when they need it and where they need it,” she says.
Indeed, patients don’t even have to leave the comfort of their couches to access the service, which is currently available in Missouri and Wisconsin. After logging in to SSM’s virtual visit platform, using a smartphone, tablet, or computer, they complete a dynamic questionnaire that begins with queries similar to those posed by healthcare providers during traditional office visits. The questionnaire adapts in real-time based on each patient’s previous answers.
“So how you answer the questions will determine what further questions are asked, kind of like a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ story,” Wessels says. “And those very specific questions are all evidence-based and scientifically based to help the provider on the other end of the questionnaire come to a correct diagnosis for you.”
Anyone over 18 can create their own account to complete a questionnaire. Virtual visit questions for minors must be completed by a parent or guardian. Patients who complete a questionnaire during normal operating hours also get a phone call or video visit from an SSM healthcare provider in under 60 minutes—and usually within 15 minutes—to cover additional questions and discuss treatment options. Normal hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Patients who complete questionnaires after hours receive a response within an hour of when operations begin the next day.
From there, providers sometimes issue prescriptions to patients’ preferred pharmacies or may ask them to come in for a face-to-face visit if their symptoms are serious or other complications exist. Those patients who need to follow up in person aren’t charged for the virtual visit, Wessels says.
“So there are kind of two key safeguards in place for our patients. One is the scientific questions to help arrive at a diagnosis and the second is the phone call or video visit with the provider at the other end who can ask additional questions and confirm whether there might be complications for the patient,” says Wessels, who explained the two-step system helps prevent potential problems like misdiagnosis or allergic reactions to prescriptions.
Along those same lines, the virtual service isn’t designed for infants, toddlers, or seniors because of medical complexities that need to be addressed in person. But early feedback from patients and providers indicate others appreciate the ability to “visit” a healthcare provider from anywhere with an internet connection, Wessels says.
“At SSM, we’re really committed to meeting patients where they are when we deliver care,” she says. “And that was really the driving force behind creating our virtual visit service.”
