For appointments, call 512-ARC-INFO (512-272-4636)
November 17, 2020. Austin Regional Clinic (ARC) has launched subscription plans for eMD Access, its 24/7 on-demand telemedicine service. For the last four years, the much-used service has been available only to ARC employees and members of other insurance and employer plans; beginning today, it is open to anyone.
eMD Access plan members or subscribers can log in via the mobile app or website at any time from anywhere they have an online connection. They can pay per visit or by monthly subscription, as they do with Spotify or Netflix. Patients are able to communicate directly with the doctor, typically in less than three minutes.
Starting at $9.95/month for individuals, eMD Access is an affordable subscription service with no insurance required, and is staffed 24/7/365 by both family medicine and pediatric ARC physicians. Features of the telemedicine service include:
- Physicians who can diagnose, treat, and offer advice for many common illnesses, including colds, common injuries, infections, and allergies.
- Doctors can prescribe medications, order tests, and when needed, direct patients to a medical facility for further medical care.
- Patients can use a mobile phone, tablet, or computer to instant message the doctor on call and can communicate using the voice and video features available within the secure platform.
- Patients and doctors can also share photos related to diagnosis and treatment.
- Patients have access to their messaging history and records from each visit, and
- Patients' primary care physician receives an eMD Access visit summary after every visit, so patients' records are up-to-date.
eMD Access offers a convenient and efficient way to address minor health issues when patients need immediate care or advice. eMD Access should not be used for true medical emergencies and is not a substitute for primary care management of chronic issues like diabetes or hypertension.
"Patients are able to work around their own schedules and enjoy high-quality care from trusted, local ARC physicians without driving anywhere or sitting in a waiting room," says Jacob Childers, MD, Family Medicine physician and physician administrator of eMD Access.
Both the desktop portal and mobile app are homegrown applications, designed by ARC doctors in response to how people would like to communicate.
"We offer telemedicine care to 40,000 people right now and the way they have used the platform has helped shape the way we develop it," says Ana Vela, eMD Access Program Manager. "In fact, our best source of user experience feedback has been from our own ARC doctors and staff, and we believe our platform is friendlier and easier to use than many others out there."
Vela says some things that differentiate eMD Access from other telemedicine services are:
- Local doctors: eMD Access doctors are part of our community, know the illness and allergy patterns in our area, and are familiar to the community through their practices at ARC.
- Family medicine doctors and pediatricians: Patients can choose the doctor that best fits their and their family's needs with both family medicine and pediatric doctors available 24/7.
- Secure messaging: Most interactions happen in the way people are most comfortable communicating these days, texting messages back and forth.
- Ability to add images or switch to a video visit: It is easy to upload images or transition to a video visit during a secure chat message with a doctor.
- Communicating with your PCP: eMD Access recognizes the importance of updating a patient's doctor about the care received, so ARC shares visit information securely with every subscriber's primary care physician.
For more information about eMD Access and how to sign up, visit normanmd.com.
About eMD Access
eMD Access is a telemedicine service from Austin Regional Clinic that provides on-demand urgent care by local ARC doctors. The service is available to employers, health plans, or by subscription to individuals and families. Plan members or subscribers do not need an appointment to access 24/7 chat and video with a doctor. Since 2016, eMD Access has provided services for all ARC doctors and employees, employees of other local employers, and members of local health plans. For more information on eMD Access, ARC's new telemedicine subscription service, visit normanmd.com.
About Austin Regional Clinic
Austin Regional Clinic (ARC) is a multispecialty medical group committed to providing comprehensive healthcare services throughout the greater Austin area. Founded by three physicians in 1980, it now provides health care to over 530,000 area residents in 29 locations in 12 cities, including both primary and specialty care. ARC is unique to the Austin area because of the widespread locations, convenient services, and quality assurance programs. ARC patients enjoy access to such conveniences as same-day appointments, 24/7 online and phone appointment scheduling, ARC MyChart patient portal, After Hours Clinics, and nursing services through the night. Most ARC clinics also offer on-site radiology and lab services and some clinics offer specialty programs such as medical nutrition therapy and the ARC Healthiness program. For more information, visit www.austinregionalclinic.com
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