Lafayette General Health to Expand its Telemedicine Offerings

Lafayette, La. – Lafayette General Health (LGH) has partnered with American Well in order to expand the health system’s telemedicine services. LGH currently provides telemedicine clinics at Stuller, Lafayette Consolidated Government, Lafayette Parish School System and St. Martin Parish School System.

The American Well technology platform will assist LGH in removing healthcare barriers like time, travel and distance to reach patients when – and where – they need care. This platform will allow LGH to provide healthcare services through home technology, such as a smartphone, computer or tablet.

“Lafayette General Health is very excited about our partnership with American Well,” said LGH President David L. Callecod, FACHE.  “American Well will help us expand the way we deliver healthcare, providing services that are more convenient for our patients.”

LGH will roll out the expanded telemedicine technology in waves.  The plan is to enhance the technology at existing LGH telemedicine clinics, secure telemedicine services with a local prison system, partner with additional schools and large employers, and make the technology available to individuals.

By enhancing existing clinics, specifically at schools, LGH will soon be able to conduct multi-way video visits to include the parents with their child.

Local healthcare to prisoners can be costly due to limited access to care and high transportation costs.  With telemedicine, prisoners will receive high-quality, cost-effective care that eliminates officers escorting a patient to and from the hospital ER – translating to a lower cost for taxpayers.

Large employers benefit from telemedicine in the workplace as it deceases absenteeism, increases productivity and translates into lower healthcare costs for both the employer and employee.

Finally, telemedicine direct to the consumer is a convenient service that brings healthcare to where the patient prefers to be – in their home.  This service will be available in the future through an LGH smartphone app.

Initially, telemedicine visits will cover non-emergency needs – sinus infections, cold & flu symptoms, cough, rash, etc. – as well as ongoing chronic condition management, such as diabetes.  LGH hopes to expand the coverage to include specialists and post-surgical home follow-up care.

American Well works with more than 70 health systems nationwide to bring telehealth to their patients and communities.

“Lafayette General Health has always been committed to reaching more patients. Together, we have the opportunity to further this mission by utilizing telemedicine to extend care,” said American Well President of Customer Solutions Danielle Russella. “We are proud to work alongside LGH to make high-quality care, from such a trusted network of providers, more accessible to the patients and communities they serve.”

About Lafayette General Health

Lafayette General Health (LGH) is a non-profit, community-owned regional healthcare system committed to always delivering excellence.  LGH serves the south-central region of Louisiana by aligning with facilities across a 10-parish area known as Acadiana.

LGH’s flagship hospital, Lafayette General Medical Center, in operation since 1911, is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation that does not pay out any revenue to shareholders as for-profits do.  LGH also owns or manages Lafayette General Surgical Hospital, Lafayette General Southwest, St. Martin Hospital, University Hospital & Clinics, Acadia General Hospital and Abrom Kaplan Memorial Hospital, and has several affiliations with facilities across the region.

Both Lafayette General Medical Center and University Hospital & Clinics are major teaching hospitals, providing graduate medical education across many disciplines.

LGH owns LGMD, a non-profit corporation that operates and manages several physician clinics including Family Medicine and Internal Medicine, as well as many specialists and surgeons.

LGH is a founding member of the Ochsner Health Network, a collaborative of leading health systems across the greater Gulf South region.

In 2015, LGH offered community benefits in excess of $250 million.  LGH property and assets total nearly $500 million, employing approximately 4,000 staff.  For more information about LGH and its affiliates, visit LafayetteGeneral.com.

About American Well

American Well uses telehealth to improve people’s access to quality care. Through our partnerships with the nation’s largest health systems, insurers, employers, and retailers, our award-winning telehealth Exchange and our direct-to-consumer service Amwell™ we connect millions of Americans to the doctors they trust for live video visits. Through the power of telehealth, we help patients get the care they need in a timely fashion, and help doctors be there for their patients. We build technologies to make healthcare go where people need it most. For more on how we are changing healthcare delivery through telehealth, visit AmericanWell.com.

American Well and Amwell are registered trademarks or trademarks of American Well Corporation in the United States and other countries. All other trademarks used herein are the property of their respective owners.