Excellent care from the comfort of home

Fitting a healthcare appointment into your busy day can sometimes feel like a juggling act. And while some issues do require a trip to your provider’s office on your lunch break or between errands, others just need a virtual visit.

“The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the necessity of implementing virtual healthcare for me,” says Vanessa Moore, FNP-C, an IU Health Primary Care provider in Bedford. “Since then, these visits have become a routine appointment slot in my daily schedule template.”

Moore explains that virtual care can:

• Improve patient access to timely care
• Reduce barriers like transportation
• Allow patients to limit time away from work
• Improve care by providing comfort for people who are unable to leave their homes for a multitude of reasons

All the patient needs is a cellphone or computer with a camera and an appointment.

For Kelsey Downham, she started using virtual visits when she moved from Bedford, where Moore practices, to Terre Haute, and she didn’t want to find a new provider.

“The thought of finding a new provider was overwhelming,” says Downham. “I had built such a connection and relationship with Vanessa as my primary care provider over the years. I did not want to switch to someone new.”

For Downham, the easy-to-use virtual visit platform and video chat feature made it feel like she wasn’t missing out even though she is over 80 miles from the office.

While this option isn’t optimal for every healthcare issue, it can be a great option for many non-urgent concerns.

“When I was sick with the flu, the last thing I wanted to do was make a trip to the clinic,” says Downham. “Instead, I received optimal healthcare from the comfort of my home.”

“I find a quick virtual appointment is especially handy when starting new medications, following up on mental health disorders, and post-hospital care,” says Moore. “I can do a quick check-in to ensure continuous care convenient to them, and patients seem to appreciate this simple touch.”

“It is the future of healthcare,” says Downham.

Learn more about virtual visits online.