50 THE QUEENS COURIER • HEALTH • JUNE 3, 2021 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
health
Th e COVID-19 pandemic changed
how people think about health care.
Interacting with your doctor has never
been more critical, but now some or all
of those interactions might occur online.
Th e ability to make appointments
online and see your physician without
leaving home has benefi ts. In fact,
Chilmark Research estimates that by
2025, 15 to 25 percent of all primary
care visits will be conducted virtually
in the United States. As telehealth use
grows and patients have come to expect
more online services from their doctors,
it’s important to ask your doctor about
available tools to help you stay connected
and save time.
Explore the new age of care
One company leading the evolution
in patient engagement technologies
is NextGen Healthcare. Th e NextGen
Patient Experience Platform can save
time for health care teams and boost
convenience for patients.
To ensure you get the best online
health care access, experts from the
company suggest you ask your doctor
about:
Online patient access: How does their
patient portal work, and what features
does it off er? Can you easily send a message
to your doctor, request a prescription
refi ll, access your personal health
records and view lab results online?
Online appointments: Can you schedule
your own appointments online? Can
you view your appointment history and
modify existing appointments?
Virtual visits: Do they off er virtual
video visits (aka telehealth) for situations
that don’t require an in-person
offi ce visit (e.g., refi ll requests, lab results
or follow-up appointments)? Are they
using a secure and HIPAA-compliant
telehealth system? (HIPAA is a law that
protects the privacy and confi dentiality
of patient health records and information.)
Online bill pay: Can you see your balance
and pay a bill electronically without
having to call or send payment in
the mail?
The future of the doctorpatient
relationship
People are comfortable shopping
online from their smartphones, tablets
or computers. When the COVID-
19 pandemic started, video chats with
friends and family skyrocketed in every
age category. Soft ware platforms enable
you to do almost anything from the comfort
of home, and the same expectation
now applies to health care.
The patient experience will continue
to evolve beyond the confines of a
traditional office setting. This growth
of consumerism also means you have
more choices for where and how you
receive healthcare, and this will likely
impact how you choose a doctor in
the future.
Your health is your top possession.
You can stay connected to your doctor
and take an active role in your own
health by ensuring your doctor’s practice
off ers digital patient engagement tools
that make it easy for you to stay on top
of your health care. Th rough technology,
doctors and patients can be more aligned
for even better overall health outcomes.
Learn more at www.nextgen.com.
— Courtesy of BPT
Four things to
ask your doctor
about online
health care
Are you HIV+ and have
Peripheral Neuropathy?
Research study aimed at reducing neuropathic pain
You may be eligible if you are:
- HIV+/AIDS
- have pain, numbness, aching, burning,
or “pins and needles” in lower legs
or feet for greater than 3 months
- 18 years of age or older
Qualified participants will receive round trip Metro Cards
and compensation up to $220
212-365-0346
/www.nextgen.com
/WWW.QNS.COM
/www.nextgen.com
