Radiology provider Envision Healthcare said Thursday that it has delivered more than 130,000 virtual visits since the pandemic started in March, with a “significant” increase among the senior population.
The Nashville-based physician firm said such visits have occurred across 34 states and in hospitals, offices, urgent care clinics and post-acute settings.
The company employs some 900 radiologists while also offering care in emergency medicine, anesthesiology and neonatology. Envision did not offer a detailed breakdown of the visits by specialty but noted that its physicians have long delivered remote care in radiology, stroke treatment and neurology.
“At our office-based practices, we have seen a significant increase in patients aged 65 and older seeking telemedicine treatment,” Matthew Bush, MD, president of integrated markets, said in a statement. “Virtual health has been essential to care delivery during this pandemic, particularly for at-risk and vulnerable populations. As we expand our virtual health services across states and medical sites, we are seeing more patients embrace the resource as a way to receive quality, patient-centered care.”
For potential COVID patients specifically, Envision said it has used virtual care to provide consults, and assess their conditions to determine whether follow-up care or testing is necessary. The private equity-backed provider also outlined the steps its taking to help stressed-out docs earlier this month, and is reportedly mulling bankruptcy with the pandemic drying up a chunk of its business.