Using a new mobile app makes it possible for patients to have face-to-face appointments quickly and personally using Skype or FaceTime call. TouchCare www.touchcare.com headquartered in Durham North Carolina enables physicians and their patients to use a triple-encrypted line to have conversations on smartphones or tablets. The app is designed to be used for medical practices of all sizes, from solo providers to hospitals.
The mobile app is able to provide a more personal approach for supplementing in-office visits, which can lead to stronger patient relationships, increased patient satisfaction, and improved continuity of care.
The platform’s video appointments are ideal for follow-up test results, medication refills, after-hours care, and doctor-to-doctor communication. It is also being recommended for use with seniors, other patients with poor mobility, parents with young children, and to use as a better alternative to a variety of calls. The new app also gives physicians the option to charge for these remote consultations, unlike with traditional calls.
“Technology and the way we use technology to enhance our lives is changing so rapidly, yet it has not made healthcare more accessible for patients. If anything, it is harder to connect with your own doctor than in years past,” said Damian Gilbert, TouchCare’s Founder and CEO.
He adds, “While services in the market offer connection to an unknown physician for a fee, we designed the mobile app to enable users to connect to their own health providers for scheduled video calls, and to do so in an easy way.”
TouchCare officially launched in March 2014 and is being used by physicians in both North Carolina and in New York at Mount Sinai. The early stage startup was founded by Gilbert and a group of consumers who recognized a need for better care when immediate doctor visits are not possible.