Courtesy of The Times of Northwest Indiana • April 23, 2020
By Joseph S. Pete
Patients can now virtually visit physician offices or immediate care centers at Methodist Hospitals.
The health care system with hospitals in Gary and Merrillville is offering telehealth services, where people can get treated at home for a wide range of conditions like athlete’s foot, insect bites, colds, flu, cold sores, rashes, sore throat, pharyngitis, minor sunburn, sinus infections, pink eye and upper respiratory infections.
Patients can schedule video appointments through HIPAA-compliant video-conferencing tools with Methodist Physician Group offices and at the Methodist CareFirst Immediate Care Centers.
“We wanted to be sure that residents of our communities have access to the health care they need during this period when Indiana residents have been asked to stay at home,” said Matt Doyle, Methodist Hospitals Acting CEO. “We are always looking for new and better ways to serve our communities, and we believe that video appointments will benefit patients long after the COVID-19 crisis has passed.”
Virtual house calls have been taking off across Northwest Indiana during the coronavirus pandemic. Porter Physician Group in Porter County and Urologic Specialists of Northwest Indiana also are offering telehealth appointments so patients can see doctors while staying safely at home.
Methodist cautions it’s not suitable for all situations but said it works for chronic disease management, follow-up visits, and a range of minor illnesses and injuries. Doctors also can virtually screen people with possible COVID-19 symptoms for testing without potentially exposing others to the deadly disease that’s infected more than 2.5 million people globally.
For more information or to make an appointment, call 219-791-9389 or visit www.methodisthospitals.org.
