Trinitas advances telehealth initiative

Trinitas Regional Medical Center recently announced a new effort to deploy telehealth across its organization for both its own employees and patient care. Trinitas is taking advantage of the latest strides in telemedicine, which often play a role as first line of care to decrease unnecessary visits to the Emergency Department, Medical Clinic or a Physician Office for certain low acuity ailments.

Trinitas RMC, under its partnership with Horizon BCBS, is offering easier, more convenient access to quality healthcare for all employees who may not have the time to get to a doctor’s appointment to address their own needs. Telemedicine physicians and select mental health practitioners provide face-to-face, real time “examinations” online for a diagnosis, prescription, referrals for subsequent testing, and more.

In addition, Trinitas is encouraging its own medical staff to make themselves available to see patients via the same service, Horizon CareOnline, powered by American Well, the leading national telehealth provider. The goal is to embrace a new telemedicine product for anyone who receives employee medical benefits under Horizon. Trinitas is embracing this new model of delivering healthcare in a convenient, cost-effective manner without compromising quality.

“As technology provides solutions, we respond by figuring out how to apply them to our mission and make them work for us,” said Gary S. Horan, FACHE, President & Chief Executive Officer. “Part of our job is to have one foot in the present and the other stepping toward the future. We have to understand what works and what systems and approaches to medicine require improvement. Using remote communication is the perfect example of that. It makes all the sense in the world for someone who doesn’t feel well enough to go out to avoid a needless trip to a doctor’s office for something that can be very easily diagnosed and treated via telemedicine.”

Some examples of the conditions that can be handled online include: acute bronchitis, conjunctivitis, UTI, sinusitis, pharyngitis, diarrhea, fever, headache, influenza, respiratory infection, back pain, sprains and strains, exacerbations of chronic diseases like asthma and diabetes, and other applications like triage or prescription refills.

About Trinitas Regional Medical Center
Trinitas Regional Medical Center (TRMC), a major center for comprehensive health services for those who live and work in Central New Jersey, is a Catholic teaching medical center sponsored by the Sisters of Charity of Saint Elizabeth in partnership with Elizabethtown Healthcare Foundation. With 10 Centers of Excellence across the continuum of care, Trinitas has distinguished itself in cardiology, cancer care, behavioral health, renal care, nursing education, diabetes management, wound healing and sleep medicine.

Doug Harris
908-994-5138
dharris@trinitas.org

Yolanda Fleming
908-994-5139
Yfleming@trinitas.org