The power of virtual care TELEHEALTH CONTINUES TO PROVIDE ACCESS FOR ASCENSION’S MOST VULNERABLE PATIENTS
T
he COVID-19 pandemic accelerated a growing trend in the use of telehealth across the country. In fact, from March 1, 2020, to March 16, 2022, more than 9,700 Ascension clinicians conducted a cumulative total of 3.23 million outpatient virtual visits. The rapid use of telehealth during this time expedited years of care delivery advancements in a few short months — helping meet the clinical, safety and access needs of our patients. Our varied telehealth interventions allowed us to continue to provide care while mitigating physical — and sometimes psychological — challenges facing many of our most vulnerable patients. A CASE FOR ACCESS
From October 2020 through March 2021, Ascension Medical Group same-day appointments for established primary care virtual video visits occurred at nearly twice the rate of in-person visits, and that number only continues to grow. On average, the gap between the schedule and appointment date is 65% less for primary care physicians and 17% less for specialists with a video visit vs. an in-person visit. In addition to providing greater
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