March 14, 2020
Free Telemedicine Platform to Combat COVID-19 by Bluestream Health
A preview of Bluestream Health’s telemedicine platform for COVID-19 consultations.
Source: Bluestream Health
In response to the growing outbreak of COVID-19 across the nation and globe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended various measures to reduce unnecessary health care visits and prevent transmission.
Virtual care figures prominently in these recommendations, and telemedicine provider Bluestream Health has stepped up to provide its solution to caregivers free of charge.
Telemedicine, in particular, is crucial to the fight against COVID-19 because it reduces the risk of exposure for front-line health care professionals, other patients, and hospital visitors. It also lessens the on-site clinic burden.
As 80 percent of COVID-19 patients experience only mild illness, hospitals and clinics have become swamped with concerned patients, many of whom may only have the common cold and could benefit from an initial online triage.
In addition to being free of charge, Bluestream’s virtual care solution is HIPAA-compliant and requires no downloads, account setup or commitment.
All providers need to do is enter their name and email address, and then they can invite patients to a video session via email or text.
“Health care providers are being stretched in a way not seen since the Ebola outbreak,” said Brian Yarnell, President and founder of Bluestream Health. “Our telemedicine solution can help them provide exponentially more care faster in a crisis when more and more people are being asked to stay home.”
What’s more, telemedicine sessions carried out over Bluestream’s platform are likely eligible for reimbursement through Medicare, state funding, or health insurers.
The recently enacted Coronavirus Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020 allocates $500 million to Medicare telehealth services spending, and all the major insurance companies have agreed to cover the costs of telemedicine associated with COVID-19.
“Technology can speed up our response and slow down the spread of COVID-19,” said Sandeep Pulim, M.D., Bluestream Health’s Chief Medical Officer. “In a crisis environment such as ours, we feel a duty to put care over commerce.”
Large-scale enterprise health systems have already been using Bluestream to successfully triage and treat suspected COVID-19 patients over the past few weeks, proving the solution’s viability. The company quickly realized the impact it could have in combating COVID-19 with a free public offering.
Head on over to Bluestream Health’s website to learn more about their telemedicine services.
Be sure to follow Bluestream Health on Facebook and Twitter, as well.
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