Modernizing Medicine Launches Telehealth-Enabled EHR to Reduce Risk of COVID-19 Transmission

Modernizing Medicine launched its audio and video telemedicine product to swiftly serve current and future clients and the health care community. The company said it recognizes the importance of remotely evaluating patients to help reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission and to provide care to vulnerable patient populations. During the COVID-19 crisis, the company plans to offer its modmed Telehealth solutions at no additional charge to current and future clients. 

“While the coronavirus crisis is new to us all, Modernizing Medicine believes that we can offer the tools to support physicians’ needs to provide the vital care many of us will require,” Michael Sherling, MD, MBA, chief medical and strategy officer and co-founder of Modernizing Medicine, said in a company news release. “We also want to extend the deepest gratitude to all of the healthcare professionals battling on the front lines.”

All Modernizing Medicine EMA clients now have the audio and video telemedicine solution auto-enabled within the specialty-specific electronic health record (EHR) system. Dermatology practices will also have the option to provide e-visits where patients can initiate a case by sharing photos and information on their condition that can be reviewed by dermatologists.

“During the COVID-19 emergency, using modmed Telehealth has enabled me to continue treating patients, even if they can’t come into the office. My patients find it very helpful to use. I would not know what to do without EMA as part of my practice,” Lawrence Adam Schiffman, DO, FAOCD, said in the news release.

Some Specialty-Specific Telehealth Use Cases 

With the company’s specialty-specific focus, there are numerous telemedicine use cases for specialists to continue to care for their current patient populations. Some scenarios are as follows:  

Dermatology: The video platform is helpful for most types of visits. The store-and-forward platform lends itself well for established patients who present for wound checks, acne visits, skin lesions and rashes.

Ophthalmology: Acute care visits – screening for emergencies (e.g. red eye, swollen lid); post-op checks in some cases; routine follow-up for certain diagnoses and medication refills (e.g. glaucoma, dry eye); screening for who need to be seen in person and who can be delayed.

Orthopedics: Post-op follow ups for wound checks and range of motion checks; monitor patients who reside in an assisted living facility or nursing home and who are not permitted to leave for the sake of transmission mitigation; discussing contingency plans and rescheduling of visits or surgery.

Plastic Surgery/Cosmetic Surgery: New patient consults and evaluations as plastic surgery is largely a visual specialty; office triage – screening for who needs to be seen in person and who can be delayed; post-op checks / wound checks; routine follow-up; discussing test or pathology results.

Otolaryngology: Post-op checks; acute care visits (e.g. throat pain, allergy exacerbations, dizziness/vertigo and in some cases ear pain); and routine follow-up for certain diagnoses and medication refills (e.g. allergy, chronic sinusitis, Meniere’s disease, sleep apnea).

Gastroenterology: New patient consults and evaluations; screening for who needs to be seen in person and who can be delayed; discussing test or pathology results; physician or staff conversations about rescheduling elective endoscopies.

Telemedicine Webinars Series Offered During COVID-19 Crisis

Modernizing Medicine will also be hosting an educational webinar series on telemedicine for the healthcare community.  

• Urgent COVID-19 Webinar: Using Telehealth at Your Practice: Thursday, March 26 at 12pm and 7pm EST
  • Hear from Lisa Schmitz Mazur, Partner at McDermott Will & Emery, who advises healthcare providers and technology companies on a variety of legal, regulatory and compliance matters; and Michael Sherling, MD, MBA, chief medical and strategy officer on how to navigate telehealth during the current pandemic. Click here to register. 

• Upcoming specialty-specific webinars will follow. Click here to stay updated.