Online care is just a click away.
By Andrea Wright
It’s 3 in the morning and your back hurts every time you move. You can’t sleep and you’re worried. Is this serious? Should I go to the emergency room? Can it wait until morning? You’re anxious and you want answers now.
The answer? Online health care.
HMSA has brought a true innovation in health care to Hawaii – HMSA’s Online Care. The system connects consumers with HMSA participating physicians online or by phone. HMSA is the first health plan in the nation to offer online health services through a landmark agreement with Microsoft and American Well, a company that provides health care communication solutions.
With HMSA’s Online Care, consumers in Hawaii can connect with a local physician or specialist by Web-based videoconferencing, secure chat, or telephone.
The system, which launched in January 2009, is available to consumers around the clock without an appointment from the convenience of their home or office. HMSA's Online Care will improve access to care in rural areas. Sessions are immediate, secure, private and affordable. HMSA is making this service available to all residents of Hawaii, and not just for HMSA members.
Online consultations are not meant to replace in-person doctor visits; they simply provide another health care choice for talking to a doctor about a non-urgent condition or getting advice or answers. Unlike emailing your doctor and waiting for a response, HMSA’s Online Care services are live and immediate.
Following each online chat, you can send a summary of your session to your primary care physician. This ensures that your regular doctors are aware of your online visit and can maintain continuity of care. A copy will also be saved in your Online Care health summary for your reference.
HMSA is dedicated to providing health care choices for its members. That’s why HMSA is so excited to be the first health plan to offer this additional choice for your health care. HMSA’s Online Care is especially valuable to those who require an immediate answer to a pressing concern that doesn’t necessarily require an ER visit, those who are too busy to leave home or work to see a doctor, those who are worried about an issue and want peace of mind, and those who are uninsured or underinsured.
HMSA is also confident that this service will greatly help those in rural areas who can’t easily access a doctor. With the exception of Honolulu, “we are essentially a very rural state,” says Michael Gold, HMSA’s executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Often, you can’t just drive into town to get to the medical system that exists in Honolulu – you are separated by water. This technology gives us the opportunity to connect people over distances so they can get the kind of care they need.”
“HMSA is proud to be the leader in bringing health care to the 21st century,” says Gold. “HMSA’s Online Care will also help manage health care costs, improve access to health care statewide, and provide added convenience for HMSA members and all Hawai‘i residents.”
To access HMSA’s Online Care or for more information, visit hmsa.com.
