The Wright Stuff: Access healthcare from anywhere, at any time, with Care Connection
A message to the WVU Medicine West Virginia University Health System family
When you think about the technology available to improve the lives of our patients, it’s awe-inspiring. So it’s kind of ironic that two old-school technologies – the telephone and email – are playing a key role in a new program designed to enhance WVU Medicine employees’ healthcare experience.
Through nurse navigators (available with a simple phone call, 1-855-WVU-CARE) and e-visits (available through MyWVUChart), our new Care Connection program is allowing employees to access care from anywhere, at any time, saving them time and money. The program is free for employees and their family members and available 24/7. It is available to employees (and family members) enrolled in a WVU Medicine medical plan.
In addition to keeping us healthy as a workforce, the program is easing the burden on some of our clinics. Through Care Connection, we can quickly assess the appropriate level of care for each patient, while reducing the number of unnecessary visits to the Emergency Department, Urgent Care, and other clinics.
This anecdote does a good job of demonstrating the program’s benefits:
Care Connection recently helped an employee who was in a vulnerable position. The employee had recently undergone surgery and, while out of town caring for her mother, she experienced some symptoms that she thought could be connected to her surgery. She was in a difficult situation because she needed to help herself but also wasn’t willing to leave her sick mother.
She called a nurse navigator and explained her circumstances. After assessing the situation, the nurse recommended an e-visit. Through this process and the provider’s clinical assessment, the patient was able to be treated with a prescription. Even better, the prescription was sent to a nearby pharmacy so that the employee could stay near her mother.
The Care Connection program provided a great resolution for this employee by helping to ease both her physical and mental stress. It made a real difference.
Soon, there will be a video option for e-visits. And remote home monitoring will become available for employees with chronic conditions, such as heart failure. Stay tuned for more details.
I would encourage you to consider this program to help meet your healthcare needs.