Hurricane Sandy Sheds Light On Telemedicine Trend

Inclement weather frequently hinders patient care and doctor productivity; CloudVisit(TM) answers the call for a better way

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CloudVisit(TM)

Nov 28, 2012, 04:03 ET

COLD SPRING, N.Y., Nov. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- While Hurricane Sandy was certainly an extreme example of inclement weather, she shed valuable light on how storms, travel limitations, and office closings affect individual health and physician productivity. Is there a better way to keep patients and doctors connected; to avoid appointment cancellation after cancellation? The makers of CloudVisit^TM think so. As the first-of-its-kind telemedicine platform, CloudVisit^TM telepsychiatry is an affordable and successful way for psychiatrists and psychologists to see patients online through secure telemedicine technology.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121128/NY20334 )

"Uninterrupted medical care is one of the many benefits of CloudVisit^TM," says Daniel Gilbert, CEO and President of CloudVisit^TM, the company behind the innovative telepsychiatry software that will soon be available across a multitude of medical specialties. "Patients demand convenience and quality. Doctors need profitability. Our platform delivers both, regardless of weather or location restrictions." CloudVisit^TM is compatible with Apple and Microsoft-PC operating systems; it also pairs perfectly with the new Google Chromebooks by Samsung.

When weather blasts, office managers and patients scramble to cancel and reschedule doctor appointments. As a result, two things suffer: patient wellness and practice profitability. "There's a real loss when doctors and patients are separated," says Gilbert. "Patients may have to wait weeks to reschedule and new patients can disappear altogether. Doctors are stuck home wishing they could treat patients; patients are home from work but hesitant or unable to travel. Money is lost and health deteriorates, especially in times of long-term restoration like Hurricane Sandy."

CloudVisit^TM Connects Doctors and Patients

With CloudVisit^TM, doctors and patients can keep their appointments. Online, they can see and hear each other for routine consultations, check-ups, and new patient appointments. There's no treacherous travel and no time wasted.

It doesn't take a hurricane to see the appeal of online doctor-patient connectivity. According to data compiled in the January 2012 Broadband Expanded publication, 80% of Internet users go online for health information and more than 50% of patients express interest in receiving healthcare services online. With only 7% of doctors meeting that need, the opportunity is massive.

"With CloudVisit^TM, doctors can counsel patients online with the same level of face-to-face interaction and recommend next steps or treatment. Our platform gets them up and running quickly with everything they need for online practice management. The ROI is very rapid," says Gilbert.

Telemedicine Made Easy

To schedule an online appointment, patients simply access their doctor's own CloudVisit^TM website and request an appointment based on the availability calendar. Confirmation and billing happen automatically, with session length and pricing controlled by the doctor.

When appointment time rolls around, both doctor and patient meet online using the computers, webcams, and broadband Internet connections they already have. Video appointments are backed by HIPAA-compliant security measures and doctors can safely record sessions and enter treatment notes.

The appeal of online doctor appointments is vast, as Gilbert sums, "CloudVisit^TM is more convenient for everyone, it increases the profitability of encounters that already take place on the phone, and it provides privacy and discretion that waiting rooms can't. Homebound patients and those in rural areas have unprecedented access to specialists and medical experts. The expansion value is tremendous."

The U.S. government appears to lead the telemedicine way. Over a ten year period the Veteran Affairs Department saved $7 billion with online healthcare services. Through their telepsychiatry program they cut Veteran psychiatric hospital admissions by 19% and length of stay by 25%.

CloudVisit^TM is an independent company developed by Aurora IT, a widely-regarded medical website design and medical marketing company located in Cold Spring, NY, just north of New York City.