LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Doctor’s officers, urgent care facilities and emergency rooms are overwhelmed with COVID-19 questions and visits. But there are ways you can still see a doctor from the comfort and safety of your home.
If you’re sick and wondering if it could be the coronavirus, Norton Healthcare is one of several health networks offering virtual access to doctors and nurse practitioners. Norton’s e-care gives patients the ability to schedule phone calls or video visits.
“A lot of people, we understand, are experiencing anxiety right now,” said Erica Coghill, a spokeswoman for Norton Healthcare. “We’re asking people to go ahead and schedule their e-care visits if they’re experiencing symptoms similar to COVID-19. That’s your best first stop.”
To schedule an e-care phone call, the website will first prompt you to submit your symptoms and answer a series of questions. Then, a provider will call you back within eight to 10 hours.
The other option is a video visit. A provider will schedule a time for a virtual appointment using your smartphone, tablet or computer. Coghill said because there is a high demand right now for virtual visits, you can expect to experience a longer wait before a provider gets back with you.
“We do want to be transparent in letting people know that wait times are a little bit longer if you schedule a video visit,” Coghill said. “Those currently are scheduled about three days out. But we want to remind people we are doing our very best to accommodate everyone and keep our community safe in this challenging time. And because the COVID-19 symptoms for most people are non-life-threatening, we ask that you practice some patience with us as we work with our providers a quickly as possible, even if it is within three days.”
With the high demand, Norton has more than doubled its e-care staff to handle the spike.
If someone has an existing Norton provider and needs a prescription refill, that can be done through the online MyNortonChart. If a patient is using the e-care system for a virtual visit, providers are able to write certain prescriptions during those appointments.
Coghill said just because they are encouraging everyone to try using the e-care system, that does not mean that every patient should use it or wait to be seen.
“Of course, if someone is experiencing symptoms in which they have difficulty breathing or they feel like their life is in danger, we do suggest that they call 911 or make their way to an emergency department right away,” she said.
The following health networks are offering telehealth options:
- Norton Healthcare: offering e-care for patients with smartphones, tablets, or computers
- Baptist Health: offering Virtual Care for patients with smartphones, tablets, or computers
- Robley Rex VA Medical Center: offering free resources through PATRIOTlink
- Indiana Medicaid: allowing telemedicine and telephone options to be reimbursed as if they took place in person
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