HERMISTON, OR –Today, Good Shepherd Health Care System, which serves Umatilla and Morrow counties, announced it has opened Good Shepherd Virtual Care Clinic, a new virtual clinic that provides 24/7 access to healthcare. Good Shepherd Virtual Care Clinic allows patients to receive high-quality care in a virtual clinic, wherever they are, using a smartphone, tablet or a computer.
Good Shepherd Virtual Care Clinic is powered by its clinical and technology partner, Carena. For $35 per visit, patients will be able to receive virtual urgent care services any time of day or night, including diagnoses, prescriptions, and opportunities to conveniently set up follow-up appointments at any of Good Shepherd Health Care System’s physician and specialist offices. Good Shepherd Virtual Care Clinic will be an extension of Good Shepherd Health Care System’s network, with the ability to provide high-quality healthcare throughout Oregon and Washington.
“Access to affordable healthcare services is part of our mission, and vital to the health of our rural community,” said Jim Schlenker, chief operating officer of Good Shepherd Health Care System. “By creating the Good Shepherd Virtual Care Clinic, we are able to utilize the latest technology to meet the health needs of our community by providing 24/7 urgent access to health care services. Now, wherever you live in Umatilla and Morrow counties and the communities we serve in Washington state, you’re only a click or phone call away from receiving urgent medical care via the Good Shepherd Virtual Care Clinic.”
Good Shepherd Virtual Care Clinic is built on Carena’s Virtual Clinic Platform that includes software, staffing, and operations services. It is fully integrated into Good Shepherd Health Care System’s clinic-based care delivery system. The clinicians working in the virtual clinic will follow Good Shepherd Health Care System’s practice guidelines to ensure patients receive high-quality, evidence-based care. The virtual clinic helps current Good Shepherd Health Care System patients stay in-network for continuous care, and helps new patients connect to a Good Shepherd Health Care System provider after their virtual visit.
“We are happy to partner with Good Shepherd Health Care System to offer patients new, more convenient options for getting their care needs met,” said Ralph C. Derrickson, CEO of Carena. “Good Shepherd Virtual Care Clinic uses our technology to put its brand online where it is most accessible to consumers while offering patients high-quality care from a health care system they know and trust.”
By integrating virtual care, Good Shepherd Virtual Care Clinic will operate as part of Good Shepherd Health Care System’s broader care continuum, reducing fragmentation, improving access and lowering costs.
Patients can access this service today by visiting www.gshealth.org/virtualcare. An Android and iOS app will launch April 20 for use on smartphones and tablets, which will further streamline access to the Good Shepherd Virtual Care Clinic.
Photo Cut Line: Pictured, Good Shepherd Chief Operating Officer, Jim Schlenker, shares that the Good Shepherd Virtual Care Clinic will provide access to medical care via smartphone, tablet or computer, 24 hours a day, seven days per week, wherever you are in Umatilla and Morrow counties.
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Good Shepherd Health Care System (GSHCS) is a progressive non-profit community health system located in Hermiston, Oregon founded in 1954 by a group of well-minded community members wanting to make an impact on the community by providing health care services in the form of a fully functioning acute care hospital. Accredited by Det Norske Veritas, GSHCS has grown to provide inpatient care, emergency services, same-day surgery, health education classes and events, and a wide range of outpatient imaging and lab services. Additional services include primary and specialty care offered by the Good Shepherd Medical Group, Good Shepherd Clinic Pharmacy (with locations in Hermiston and Boardman), Home Health/Vange John Memorial Hospice, Home Medical Equipment retail outlet, and the Good Shepherd Community Health Foundation.
About Carena
Carena designs and operates virtual clinics for health systems. We combine technology and new care delivery methods to provide healthcare for the way consumers live and work today. Carena has offered on-demand care since 2000, informing our telemedicine solution with industry-leading expertise in clinical quality and consumer preferences. Today, our virtual care model and configurable technology platform make it possible for health systems to offer care to consumers anytime, anywhere as a natural extension of each system’s brand, mission, and service. We now partner with over 120 hospitals, offering virtual care access to over 20 million consumers. To learn more, please visit www.carenamd.com.
