Updates

At UCHealth the term Virtual Visit and Telehealth are often used interchangeably. A Virtual Visit is a “mode of delivery of healthcare services that is provided via telecommunications”. At UCHealth that means via videoconferencing such as the Vidyo application. A telephone call to a patient is not considered a virtual visit.

While the terms Virtual Visit and Telehealth are synonymous, all patient-facing communication about the service is referred to as Virtual Visit. This is important to keep in mind when talking to patients about our virtual care options to eliminate confusion.

At this point in time, all virtual appointments need to be scheduled by the clinic. UCHealth’s IT team is working toward making it possible for patients to schedule their own visits, but this is not something we’re offering today. When it becomes available, we will work with Marketing to let our patients know of this enhanced service.

There is a webpage on uchealth.org that lists all the services within UCHealth that offer Virtual Visit: uchealth.org/services/virtual-visit/. As more locations add this service, the website mentions that patients should call a specific clinic to find out if they are a candidate for Virtual Visit.

UCHealth currently offers Virtual Urgent Care which is different from Virtual Visits. To learn more about this service visit: uchealth.org/services/virtual-urgent-care/

Will insurance pay for a Virtual Visit?
Currently private health insurances, Tricare and Medicaid will pay for services provided via virtual visits. Medicare has geographical restrictions and limited visit guidelines which are still in place. There is work at both the state and national level to lift the Medicare restrictions for virtual visits. Medicare billing will be held on the backend by CUMed and UCHealth.

Due to COVID-19, Medicare is now covering virtual visits.

 

Is there anything I need to document specifically for a virtual visit?
The only addition to your note will be to add the dot phrase .teleattest to your note and complete the prompts: Location of the patient, Location of the provider.

 

Can I see a patient from anywhere?
Yes, providers are able to see a patient while physically situated anywhere. The patient however, needs to be physically located in a state where the provider is licensed. Please be mindful of your surroundings to maintain compliance with HIPAA, safety and professionalism.

 

How do I get a patient scheduled for a Virtual Visit?
The patient must be scheduled for a Home Telehealth appointment in your department on your clinic schedule.