Virtual Care Works has been working with a Denver-based pediatrics practice since October, 2012. The practice cares for patients from birth to college age and has experienced a large increase in behavioral issues, especially within the adolescent age group.

• Using the VCW Platform, the practice has been treating their behavioral patients remotely. The benefits for both the patient and the physician are many. One major plus is the providers feel their patients are more relaxed and open when they are at home in their own environment rather than in an office practice setting. Gathering more visual clues to a patient’s status when they are at home and “their guard may be down” is another often-cited benefit. Finally, the physicians report they are also able to gain in-depth feedback by the interaction with family members as they can now participate in the visit due to convenience of scheduling and location.
• Parents of the patients have been quite enthusiastic about the effectiveness of these meetings and are also thrilled with the reduced “windshield time” and reduced cost of gas not having to drive to the office for each meeting.

The bar for providing ‘Quality Care’ is being raised every day.  Not only through medical practice standards, but now by patient demand.  The HIPAA secure technology exists, majority of patients are already equipped, and now is the time to welcome TeleMedicine as the ‘Next Level of Care”.

Comments and questions are greatly appreciated!  Feel free to contact Jim Ward directly: (mailto:jim.ward@virtualcareworks.com)

About the Author
Jim Ward serves as Telhealth Specialist with Virtual Care Works. VCW is a secure, private broadband network enabling the practice of telemedicine, telebehavioral health and medical education as well as the exchange of protected patient data and medical images. VCW is a NCHN Business Partner.