Services

Uses and Benefits

SKILLED NURSING FACILITY PROGRAM

Benefits of PhoneDOCTORx Telemedicine Coverage
For Patients & Families
	Increased access and timeliness of care
	Increased quality of care
	Evening & weekend physician availability for patient and family questions
For SNF Physicians:
	Coverage of physicians and their calls from contracted SNF facilities after hours and on weekends.
	PhoneDOCTORx maintains a database of physician-specific protocols in order to provide care consistent with that provided by the patient's primary care physician or specialist (e.g., “Dr. Smith prefers specific absorption dressings for wound care”).
For Skilled Nursing Facilities:
	PhoneDOCTORx services will enhance facility image.
	Improved Press Ganey Scores related to “Availability of Doctor” and “Overall Assessment”
	Exceed expectations of external reviewing agencies, including DPH and JCAHO
	Improved nursing recruitment & retention
	Primary Care Physicians will be attracted to / refer patients to participating facilities.
	Will enhance compliance with Medicare rules
	Reduction in unnecessary admissions to the emergency department and hospital
	Provide a higher level of acute care
	PhoneDOCTORx maintains a database of SNF-specific protocols in order to provide consistent care to residents of each facility.
	Availability of PhoneDOCTORx at a facility will become the “Gold Standard” and will result in consumer requests for participating facilities.

Practice Parameters

PhoneDOCTORx provides coverage for patients of skilled nursing facilities (SNF) that have contracted with PhoneDOCTORx to provide such coverage, and whose primary care physicians (PCPs) within the SNF facility have requested such coverage. Contracted facilities will have a remote, wireless telemedicine unit that meets PhoneDOCTORx specifications and will have the capability of videoconferencing with the PhoneDOCTORx Medical Control Center.

When the patient’s PCP is not readily available or has “signed out” to PhoneDOCTORx, the PhoneDOCTORx Physician may be consulted via videoconference on any eligible patient. During a true emergency situation, PhoneDOCTORx may be consulted on any patient in a contracted facility if a nurse requires medical advice during stabilization of the patient prior to transport.