PORTLAND, Ore., June 18, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Winona Health SmartExam, an online service that allows people to get high-quality, efficient healthcare via their smartphone, tablet or computer, is now available to residents throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin.

SmartExam, a direct-to-patient non-video virtual care platform created by Bright.md, allows individuals with colds, flu, allergies, rashes, urinary tract infections, yeast infections, pink eye, sore throat, ear aches and many other common medical conditions to receive a diagnosis, treatment plan and prescription, if necessary, without an appointment or an in-person visit.

Using their smartphone, tablet or computer, Minnesota and Wisconsin residents now can receive care from anywhere— whether they are at their desk, at a soccer match or at home under a blanket on their couch. Access to this convenient care means they can feel better faster, whether it requires a prescription or medical advice to speed recovery and provide peace of mind.

A Winona Health SmartExam virtual visit costs $39, and treatment plans are provided in less than an hour. If no diagnosis is made, there is no charge for the SmartExam. Details about registering to be a SmartExam user are available at winonahealth.org/smartexam.

Individuals also can get prescriptions for birth control, erectile dysfunction medicine and support for behavioral health issues with SmartExam. Offering this level of care online allows Winona Health to overcome obstacles some patients face when deciding to get healthcare – taking time off work, the need for childcare and transportation, or even anxiety about in-person appointments.

To get care through SmartExam, patients answer a dynamic online questionnaire about their current symptoms, medications and health history. Information is reviewed by a healthcare provider at Winona Health, who provides a diagnosis and treatment plan. If the patient's condition is more serious and requires an in-person visit, they are referred for an in-person appointment with a healthcare provider and not charged for the SmartExam visit.

Patients typically take 15-20 minutes to complete the medical interview. Providers usually respond within an hour. SmartExam saves patients the time, expense and disruption to their day of going to the doctor's office. SmartExam saves healthcare providers time as well, and those lower costs are passed on to patients.

"We are committed to improving access to high-quality care that is also convenient and affordable," said Winona Health President and CEO Rachelle H. Schulz, Ed.D. "We understand that between busy schedules and high-deductible insurance, convenience and affordability are increasingly important to people."

For more information about Winona Health's SmartExam, visit winonahealth.org/smartexam.

About Bright.md
Founded in 2014 and based in Portland, Ore., Bright.md is a leading healthcare automation company dedicated to modernizing direct-to-patient telehealth for healthcare systems with its AI-powered virtual-care platform, SmartExam. Bright.md partners with premier healthcare organizations in North America, including three of the top five not-for-profit health systems in the United States. These partners offer SmartExam to more than 10 million patients who are seeking convenient urgent and primary care online. Bright.md has been named the Leader in the "Forrester New Wave™: Virtual Care Solutions for Digital Health" report, a Gartner Cool Vendor in Healthcare, and is the preferred choice of AVIA's Virtual Access cohort, Bright.md is venture-backed by B Capital Group, Seven Peaks Ventures, Pritzker Group Venture Capital, Oregon Angel Fund and the Stanford-StartX Fund. For more information, visit Bright.md.

About Winona Health
Celebrating 125 years in 2019, Winona Heath, located on the Mississippi River in Southeastern Minnesota, is an independent, not-for-profit healthcare system founded by physicians and local citizens in 1894. Today, Winona Health provides care through its hospital and emergency department; primary care and specialty clinics; urgent care; diagnostic services; assisted living, memory care and skilled nursing residences; hospice services; retail pharmacy; local ambulance service; and now, virtual care through SmartExam. Winona Health has earned recognition as one of the nation's Top 100 Rural and Community Hospitals for the third consecutive year.

SOURCE Bright.md

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