KentuckyOne Health uses technology to improve access to health care for Laurel Grocery Company employees - Archived

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KentuckyOne Health uses technology to improve access to health care for Laurel Grocery Company employees

London, Ky. (July 6, 2015)—KentuckyOne Health has partnered with Laurel Grocery Company, a family-owned wholesaler based in London, Kentucky, to provide the company’s employees and their dependents with greater access to primary care services.

One year ago, Laurel Grocery Company established an on-site clinic for employees and their families. The clinic is staffed by Donnie Bunch, DO, and is open three days a week from 7 a.m.-4 p.m.  Using technology, the company’s employees now have access to primary care providers through KentuckyOne Anywhere Care, a virtual care service that allows individuals to consult with board-certified family practice providers by phone or video chat without leaving home—24 hours a day, seven days a week.

“KentuckyOne Anywhere Care is ideal for patients with common health concerns, especially after hours, when the on-site clinic or the employee’s regular primary care provider are unavailable,” said Dr. Bunch. “With the addition of Anywhere Care, employees and their families will now have access to care when the clinic is not open.

KentuckyOne Anywhere Care providers can treat common conditions like colds and flu, sore throats, rashes, allergies, bladder infections and more. Providers may prescribe medications, if appropriate, recommend an over-the-counter medication or provide home care options.

Care can be requested online at KentuckyOneAnywhereCare.org or by calling a toll-free phone number—855.356.8054. Following a request, patients receive a phone or video chat call from a provider within 30 minutes.

“Improving access to health care through the on-site clinic and now Anywhere Care, makes significant difference in the lives of our employees and their families,” said Winston Griffin, owner, Laurel Grocery Company. “We know that the health and wellness of our employees directly relates to their focus and efficiency on the job, as well as their job satisfaction. Offering unique health care options as part of our benefits also helps us to recruit and retain the region’s best employees.”

KentuckyOne Anywhere Care uses an embedded video option that connects patients with providers directly through the Anywhere Care website, without the need for outside video chat services, such as Skype. Patients can create an account on the site and easily access their visit summary with instructions for care after consulting with the provider.

KentuckyOne Anywhere Care also provides a follow-up report to the patient’s KentuckyOne provider following a visit. If needed, the KentuckyOne Anywhere Care provider will refer patients to a primary care provider or to an emergency department at Saint Joseph London, part of KentuckyOne Health.

“We are pleased to partner with Laurel Grocery to offer this service to its employees and provide them with convenient access to 24/7 care,” said Kathy Love, strategy and business development, KentuckyOne Health Central Eastern Kentucky Market. “When convenient options to care are available, patients are often more likely to seek help for common concerns, which can prevent serious illnesses from developing.”

KentuckyOne Anywhere Care is offered through a partnership with Carena, Inc., a pioneer in the use of telemedicine. When it launched Anywhere Care in 2013, KentuckyOne Health was among the first hospital systems in the U.S. to make such a service available to the public.