RENTON, Wash., April 30, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Providence St. Joseph Health (PSJH) announced today the launch of its Virtual Health System, one of the largest telemedicine networks in the United States delivering core services for acute stroke, mental health, direct-to-consumer and after-hours hospital care to over 100 facilities across the Western United States. PSJH Virtual Health System connects consumers and providers through 50 programs led by 1,500 caregivers, meeting many critical community needs.
With rural and underserved communities lacking access to services, the complexities of navigating health care, emergency rooms perpetually overcrowded and stroke being the fifth cause of death and a leading cause of disability in the United States, PSJH has found solutions by building one of the nation's largest telehealth systems.
"Providence St. Joseph Health is leading the way to meet the needs of consumers, physicians and communities by growing multistate telehealth programs that give all of us the tools to thrive locally in the 21st century," said Amy Compton-Phillips, M.D., Chief Clinical Officer, Providence St. Joseph Health. "We know that people usually prefer to get care close to home. Physicians and specialists want to preserve relationships with their patients and communities want their local health care infrastructure to survive in a world of rapid change. PSJH Virtual Health System acts as a health connector."
About Providence St. Joseph Health Virtual Health System
The telehealth system supports health and community needs with these core services:
"We're leveraging technology to extend the reach of our caregivers, spreading clinical services across geographies. This allows us to serve patients regardless of where they live and strengthens the connections made by our health system," said Todd Czartoski, M.D., chief medical technology officer, Providence St. Joseph Health. "Telehealth-enabled care delivery systems enrich the patient experience across the clinical spectrum. We consistently get patient feedback telling us how much this service has improved their lives."
Learn more about PSJH Virtual Health System at the ATA18
Providence St. Joseph will be at the American Telemedicine Association Conference in Chicago, Illinois, April 29 - May 1. Find us at booth 2117. On Monday, please join us for our Speaker Corner session, "Consumer at the Center: Providence St. Joseph Health's Multi-Pronged Approach to Ensuring Consumer and Physician Choice, Access and Engagement Through Technology" presented by PJSH leaders Karen Appelbaum, MHA, Director of Patient Engagement Center Strategy and Operations, and Kim Swafford, MHA, Group Vice President Telehealth.
Also, visit PSJH's telehealth website and follow on us on Twitter at @PSJH to learn more.
About Providence St. Joseph Health
Providence St. Joseph Health is committed to improving the health of the communities it serves, especially those who are poor and vulnerable. With 50 hospitals, 829 physician clinics, senior services, supportive housing and many other health and educational services, the health system and its partners employ more than 111,000 caregivers (employees) serving communities across seven states – Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, and Washington. Formed in 2016, the Providence St. Joseph Health family includes the founding organizations, and in: Texas, Covenant Health, and Covenant Medical Group; California, Facey Medical Group, Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian and St. Joseph Heritage Healthcare; Washington, Kadlec Regional Medical Center, Pacific Medical Centers and Swedish Health Services.
SOURCE Providence St. Joseph Health