Baptist Health and Emergency Physicians Partner to Provide Affordable Virtual Visits to Address COVID-19 Concerns

Recognizing the role of telehealth technology in helping people get the right level of care for their medical needs, Baptist Health and Emergency Resources Group have partnered to expand community access to virtual doctor visits via Telescope Health.

To help people in North Florida with flu-like symptoms know whether they should be tested for coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19), the two organizations will offer an online evaluation by an emergency-trained, board-certified physician.

“Baptist Health and Wolfson Children’s Hospital are trusted healthcare resources for the Northeast Florida community, so naturally, our patients are seeking our guidance related to COVID-19,” said Brett S. McClung, FACHE, president and CEO of Baptist Health. “We are immediately expanding our telehealth program to make it more accessible to anyone who needs it.”

“While there have been no local cases of COVID-19, we can expect an increase in visits to ERs, urgent care centers, and doctor’s offices in the coming weeks,” said Matthew Rill, MD, an emergency medicine physician and CEO of ERG. “This could unnecessarily expose vulnerable patients, especially those with underlying health conditions or who are immunocompromised. Online medical appointments can help these patients avoid person-to-person contact, which helps to reduce the risk of spreading communicable diseases, including COVID-19.”

Telescope Health offers live video chats with local board-certified physicians, many of whom practice in a Baptist Health or Wolfson Children’s Hospital emergency center. If a patient screened through a Telescope Health visit meets CDC guidelines for further testing, the doctor will make a referral for the appropriate next step in care.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough, and in severe cases, shortness of breath, and may appear two to 14 days after exposure.

How it works

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, call your primary care provider or visit Telescope Health. This service can be used for a virtual doctor visit for a variety of other illnesses in addition to screening for COVID-19.

For more information on how you can protect yourself, your family, and the community from getting and spreading respiratory illnesses like coronavirus 2019, visit www.baptistjax.com/COVID19.