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A message to providers about Telehealth and navigating patient care during COVID-19

You are not alone.  

I know what your e-mail box looks like right now: 50 e-mails a day (if you’re lucky) regarding COVID-19. 

Guidance from the White House, CDC, WHO, and your local government. Every time the President leads a press conference, we get new information, with new guidelines and ultimately new confusion.

I feel your pain.

I’ve had several conversations the past few days with people out in the community who are telling me about clinics closing their doors. Their patients are all canceling. They’re laying off staff, and talking to me about how they’re going to make rent this month. They’re trying to cut costs every single solitary way they can, and they feel for their friends and neighbors who are trying to stay at home and follow all the new guidelines we have. Everyone is scared and frustrated.

I felt moved to write this today after talking to a small business owner in our community who was worried about his nurse practitioner (with whom he has become friends). I think our biggest defense right now is coming together and supporting one another and ensuring we keep providing good patient care by whatever means necessary. 

I don’t care if you’re our client or not. I want to help you.

We specialize in dealing with smaller practices of varying specialties. I’ve spent much of my week on the phone talking with each of them about their situations on top of communicating with carriers and releasing information on our website as soon as we can validate each (see www.team-cpr.com COVID link). Providers are worried. No one knows what’s coming next and they don’t know how they’re going to keep their staff employed or pay the rent next month. 

They worry about the patients who are frightened or self-quarantined and don’t want to leave home.  

Please know that you can pick up the phone and call me, and I’ll talk to you about your particular situation. We are recommending telehealth as the primary solution in the short-term, to keep your patients treated and keep some volume in your practices so you have revenue coming in the door. Most insurance plans cover telehealth in some form or fashion (although the rules may vary from carrier to carrier). We’re putting that information out on our website, to the public, because I don’t care who uses it. We’re doing our best to keep it updated and check in with the carriers regularly to monitor for changes and update information. We have coding and billing resources available to you if you don’t have them in your clinic, but even if you do this information could be valuable to you. Please use it. Get the word out to your patients that you will work with them via telehealth, and monitor the updates on changes in processes.

You are not alone. You may reach us at (501) 223-2776 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. central time. You may e-mail me personally at Shirley.walker@team-cpr.com with any questions you may have. Follow our website at www.team-cpr.com and our Facebook page at Team CPR, Inc. Let’s help each other survive and ensure good patient care.  

We’re happy to be able to help. I wish you comfort and peace during this crazy, confusing time we’re experiencing.

Cordially,

Shirley Walker

President & CEO, Team CPR, Inc.

Resources for you:

https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/payer/trump-administration-opens-up-access-to-telehealth-services-during-coronavirus-outbreak

https://vsee.com/what-is-telehealth/
https://www.team-cpr.com/telehealth/

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