Hartford HealthCare & OnMed launch new healthcare experience Connecticut
HARTFORD, Connecticut (January 5, 2024) ― Harnessing the reach of technology, Hartford HealthCare (HHC) has partnered with OnMed, an innovative care delivery company, to deploy its virtual care platform, featuring the OnMed Care Station and fully integrated clinical services platform in the Stop & Shop supermarket at 1094 Killingly Commons Drive, Killingly, launching a new form of convenient access. Additional HHC/OnMed locations will be available in other retailers and community facilities across the state later in 2024.
The OnMed virtual care platform connects users ages 2 and up, via the OnMed Care Station, to licensed clinical professionals for private, one-on-one, virtual healthcare visits in real-time. OnMed services are available seven days a week with extended hours and no appointment is needed.
“At Hartford HealthCare, we are committed to using every resource possible to bring high-quality healthcare to all our communities,” said Jeffrey A. Flaks, President and Chief Executive Officer. “Our partnership with OnMed represents an innovative, unique and proactive approach to addressing consumers’ needs for convenient, affordable care while using the latest technology.”
The medical professionals available through the OnMed Care Station can address 85% of the concerns discussed in a typical primary care visit, including the capture of key vital signs. People commonly use OnMed for:
• Respiratory illness
• Allergies
• Headaches
• Heartburn
• Infections
Patients needing additional care ― things like routine cancer screenings, immunizations or help for more complex injuries and illnesses ― will be given referrals from the OnMed provider. Any necessary prescriptions can be easily filled at the Killingly Stop & Shop in-store pharmacy or through e-prescription at the patient’s preferred pharmacy.
“We have created a way to overcome many of the barriers patients face in accessing quality, affordable care, especially in rural and remote areas where access has become such a significant problem,” said Tom Vanderheyden, CEO of OnMed. “Even beyond such communities, OnMed represents a real alternative to traditional brick and mortar clinics, which are increasingly difficult to build and keep open even in densely populated or smaller markets due to funding challenges or staff shortages.
“We are especially proud to partner with Hartford HealthCare in advancing the delivery of quality care to the communities and populations they serve.”
“Stop & Shop is always looking to enhance our in-store experience and support our customers in meaningful ways,” said Katie Thornell, director of pharmacy operations for Stop & Shop. “With this partnership, we are providing our Killingly customers with convenient access to medical services and a seamless retail experience where they can fill prescriptions while they shop for their groceries and over-the-counter products.”
Visiting OnMed
Located at the front of Stop & Shop, the OnMed Care Station looks like a small doctor’s office, with seating for those waiting to be seen. In a connecting room, patients access the Care Station, pressing “start” on a screen to connect instantly and virtually with a certified nursing assistant or certified medical assistant, who walks them through the intake process. This includes:
• Activating care station privacy features, including fogging and locking the glass door to the room.
• Completing patient consent.
• Collecting patient demographic information and medical history.
• Verifying identification, insurance and/or payment.
• Documenting patient symptoms.
• Collecting vital signs such as weight, temperature, blood pressure and blood oxygen level.
Patients are then connected with an OnMed clinician for the live virtual visit. The Care Station is equipped with several medical-grade diagnostic tools to provide the clinician an accurate, real-time view of all vital signs. The Care Station also features high-definition thermal imaging cameras to help providers better examine the patient’s skin, eyes, ears and throat as needed to diagnose infection and other conditions.
The provider can then offer a diagnosis and treatment plan, including recommended medications and referrals. Encounter notes are stored securely in the patient’s OnMed medical record and My Chart which can be shared with other necessary care providers.
Once the visit is done, the clinician ends the call and unlocks the door. After the patient leaves, the door is briefly locked again so the station can be cleaned and made ready for the next patient.
The OnMed Care Station is open seven days a week. Hours are Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 7 p.m. Visits are conducted in English, although support for additional languages will be available soon.
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About Hartford HealthCare
With 37,000 colleagues, Hartford HealthCare’s unified culture enhances access, affordability, equity and excellence. Its care-delivery system — with more than 500 locations serving 185 towns and cities — includes two tertiary-level teaching hospitals, an acute-care community teaching hospital, an acute-care hospital and trauma center, three community hospitals, a behavioral health network, a multispecialty physician group, a clinical care organization, a regional home care system, an array of senior care services, a mobile neighborhood health program and a comprehensive physical therapy and rehabilitation network. On average, Hartford HealthCare touches more than 23,000 lives every single day. The unique, system-wide Institute Model offers a unified high standard of care in crucial specialties at hospital and ambulatory sites across Connecticut offering unparalleled expertise at the most affordable cost. The institutes include: Ayer Neuroscience, Behavioral Health, Cancer, Digestive Health, Heart and Vascular, Orthopedics and Tallwood Urology & Kidney. Visit Hartford HealthCare at www.HartfordHealthCare.org and stay connected through newsletters and social media.