Hospitals in pursuit of excellence

Effective eVisits Expand Access

E-mail, e-books, e-commerce. And now for patients, eVisits. At the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, patients with non-urgent conditions can register on a UPMC secure eVisits portal and complete a detailed questionnaire that covers more than 25 common ailments, including back pain, bronchitis, sinus conditions, sunburn, and strep throat. After submitting the questionnaire, patients receive a response from their physician, as quickly as several minutes but always within 24 hours. The eVisit program is integrated with HealthTrak, the medical center?s patient portal and PHR. Physicians can use the program to manage chronic conditions and episodic illness for their patients and prescribe medication electronically, directly to a patient?s preferred pharmacy. Clinical decision support is built into the portal. Since 2009, more than 4,000 eVisits have been logged by patients, with nearly 400 primary care physicians participating and four payers reimbursing for the services. The eVisits provide cost-effective care and expand access, and UPMC is currently evaluating their cost and effectiveness compared with office visits. UPMC was a 2011 H&HN Most Wired Innovator Winner. For more information, contact G. Daniel Martich, M.D., chief medical information officer and vice president, physician services, UPMC, at martichgd@upmc.edu.