Albany, Ga. – As part of its ongoing effort to improve access to care for patients, Phoebe is expanding its virtual visit options. In addition to scheduling telehealth visits with primary care physicians, patients can also now take advantage of telehealth technology for urgent care visits. “We know people often need to see a provider right away for treatment of illnesses and injuries that don’t require emergency care. Sometimes, they may be unable to travel to one of our urgent care locations, or they may simply prefer to speak with a provider from the comfort of their home. Our virtual visits allow them to do just that,” said Suresh Lakhanpal, MD, Phoebe Physicians Chief Executive Officer.
Urgent care virtual visits are available Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday – Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. “The Phoebe Access mobile app is an easy way for patients to schedule an urgent care virtual visit. They can also call 312-MYMD (6963) or go to phoebehealth.com. Once the appointment is scheduled, they will see one of our local Phoebe providers over their mobile device or computer for quick and convenient diagnosis and treatment,” Dr. Lakhanpal said.
Common reasons to choose an urgent care virtual visit include:
· Upper respiratory infections (sinusitis, cold,)
· Sore throat (strep, viral)
· Lower respiratory infections (pneumonia, COVID, flu)
· Urinary tract infection
· Pink eye
· Skin infections/rashes
· Mechanical back pain
· Knee/ankle sprains/joint pain
· Headache/earache
· Gastrointestinal infection (nausea/vomiting/diarrhea)
Patients can also request an appointment with their Phoebe primary care physician. “Our primary care providers throughout Phoebe Physicians are pleased to offer this convenient option. While we have taken extraordinary measures to ensure the safety of our patients who visit our clinics in person during the COVID-19 pandemic, we know some patients would prefer not to have to come to an office right now. During the height of the pandemic, we quickly stood up this virtual visit option, and it continues to work well for many patient visits,” said Derek Heard, MD, Phoebe Physicians Medical Director of Primary Care.
Virtual visits should not be used for life-threatening emergencies. Anyone experiencing a true emergency should call 911 or go to the nearest emergency center immediately.
Phoebe will continue to look for ways to improve and expand virtual visit options. The Phoebe Access app can be downloaded for free from the Apple App Store and Google Play.