North Country HealthCare Launches Virtual Appointments

April 20, 2020 by Tammy Howell

Key Takeaways

North Country HealthCare has launched virtual healthcare appointments, as a response to the coronavirus pandemic. Individuals who are experiencing flu-like symptoms will use North Country HealthCare’s online symptom checker tool to indicate what symptoms they are currently experiencing. They can then request a 15-minute, online appointment with a North Country HealthCare provider by calling the hotline number provided after they complete the symptom checker tool.

North Country HealthCare’s CEO Dr. Anne Newland and her team of highly-skilled providers decided to launch the virtual visits in order to offer fast, convenient care to those who are experiencing symptoms. Dr. Newland also wanted to ensure the safety of the community by allowing those who are sick to stay home, rather than going to a healthcare facility where they could expose others, or be exposed themselves.

“Like the rest of the world, this pandemic has forced us to move quickly and creatively in order to provide care for our community,” Dr. Newland said. “This online symptom checker tool and online appointments allow us to assess people as quickly and easily as possible. We hope it will relieve some people’s anxiety around any symptoms they are having, and, of course, get them the care and medical advice they need.”

The virtual appointments will be billed to the patient’s health insurance, just as with a regular doctor visit. For those who are uninsured, North Country HealthCare offers a sliding fee scale (for those who qualify), which would allow them to pay a nominal fee for their appointment.

As the only federally qualified health center in the region, North Country HealthCare is uniquely positioned to protect the health and safety of the community during this difficult time. North Country is implementing a variety of measures to ensure the safety of patients and team members across all their locations. Some of these measures include:

• COVID-19 testing
• Separate waiting areas for sick visits and well visits
• Curbside prescription pick-up and drop-off at North Country HealthCare’s Flagstaff and Kingman pharmacies
• Expanding virtual visits to include behavioral health

North Country HealthCare’s priority is to help you, your family and our community stay healthy and safe. Here are some resources available to those living in northern Arizona:

• COVID-19 landing page for North Country HealthCare’s most current updates:
• North Country HealthCare’s website for appointment requests, a contact form for questions, and pages specific to your location with local contact information
• North Country HealthCare’s patient portal for medication refill requests, appointment requests, and provider messaging
• Federal and local websites for current information and response recommendations in your area:
  • Apache County website
  • Coconino County website
  • Gila County website
  • Mohave County website
  • Navajo County website
  • Yavapai County website
  • Arizona Department of Health Services website
  • Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website

North Country HealthCare would like to remind the community:

• Stay home if you are experiencing mild to moderate symptoms (flu-like symptoms with low-grade fever and cough)
• If you DO need to be seen, NOTIFY our clinic prior to arrival to avoid waiting areas
• Go to the hospital if you are experiencing severe symptoms (flu-like symptoms with high fever, cough and shortness of breath); NOTIFY the hospital prior to arrival
• We must all do our part by washing our hands frequently, staying home if sick and practicing social distancing

One response to “North Country HealthCare Launches Virtual Appointments”

1. Good news that you have Virtual Healthcare Appointments.!
   I prefer Virtual healthcare Appointments for my safety.

   Reply

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