One of Parkland’s challenges continues to be the high demand for our expert care and services. But virtual care offers a promising solution when available resources are tight to meet the growing needs of Dallas County, making it easier for more patients to access care.
Virtual care allows us to move knowledge rather than people. For instance, In Parkland’s Gastroenterology e-Consult program not all patients require an in-person visit as in days past. Our GI experts use electronic medical records to make consultations. In fact, in fiscal year 2019, almost 20 percent of the completed GI service encounters were e-consults.
Helping patients avoid unnecessary visits to our facilities allows them to avoid taking valuable time off work, finding child care while they spend a day at the hospital or working through the transportation issues that are a struggle for many.
These initiatives create a healthcare system that stresses innovation, efficiency, access and an improved patient experience.
Currently, 20 additional programs are being considered for service model expansion or as new use cases. The e-Consult program was recognized as a Best Practice by The Joint Commission, and several of the programs were presented at state and national conferences.
Parkland’s virtual care initiatives include:
- e-Consults – Virtual test results that eliminate unnecessary follow up appointments for GI patients
- School-based telemedicine – How our school-based clinics connect patients with specialists at Parkland’s main campus
- Parkland Connect – Virtual appointments for patients from any location using their mobile device
- Pharmacy follow up post discharge
- Virtual shared medical appointments
- Outpatient trauma behavioral health follow up care