Telemedicine demand has reached an unprecedented high as people are told to stay home and avoid places with ill people. First Stop Health is helping keep its clients\\\’ patients away from medical waiting rooms with 24/7 access to doctors within 15 minutes, in addition to providing advice to anxious patients on how to operate in the presence of the highly contagious COVID-19 virus.
\\\”Instead of risking COVID-19 exposure at their doctor\\\’s office, urgent care center or the emergency room, people are using telemedicine more than ever before,\\\” said Mark Friedman, MD, FACEP, FACP, chief medical officer at First Stop Health. \\\”People are worried but also being smarter about seeking medical care when sick.\\\”
First Stop Health Telemedicine trends since receiving initial COVID-19 patient visit on March 9:
COVID-19 Visits* Non-COVID-19 Visits* Visit Increase
Since March 9 Median Doctor
Response Time
March 9 1% 99% — <6 minutes
March 16 9% 91% 78% <15 minutes
March 23 9% 91% 92% <11 minutes
*Percentage of telemedicine visits
Within weeks, telemedicine has become the new norm for many Americans who have been told to stay home. Only one in 10 U.S. patients previously used the service, according to J.D. Power. Recent industry reports indicate more than a 50% increase in telemedicine visits nationwide in the past few weeks.
As COVID-19 continues to spread, telemedicine volumes nationwide are expected to continue to increase.
\\\"Responding to the needs of patients in a timely manner is crucial,\\\" said Patrick Spain, chief executive officer at First Stop Health. \\\"Our highly scalable, multi-access (web, apps and phone) platform has allowed us to meet the dramatically higher telemedicine demands of our members and their loved ones. We have been able to do that with almost no additional patient wait time compared to some in the industry, delivering delightful care just as we\\\'ve always provided. We have even been able to take on new clients overwhelmed by the needs of their employees.\\\"
About First Stop Health
First Stop Health provides care that people love. Patients can talk with doctors 24/7 via mobile app, website or phone. We help them save time and money with convenient, high-quality care. Our Telemedicine services are only available as an employee benefit program from employers.
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