Central PA Medicine Winter 2021 - 15

daup h i n c m s .o rg

VIRTUAL PRIMARY CARE
PRACTICE IS NOW AVAILABLE

irtual visits, which initially were believed to be
a temporary means of conducting primary care
during a pandemic, are here to stay. Also known as
telemedicine, primary care providers (PCPs) and
patients successfully are using a telephone or videoconferencing
technology to engage in real-time medical consultations and examinations. Patients receive the same level of care as they would in
the office, but in a different format that may be more convenient
compared to traditional in-person appointments.

Telemedicine gives patients access to the expertise of highly
trained health care providers in the comfort of their home. Other
benefits include fast, expert care, less travel when the patient isn't
feeling well, and limited exposure to other potentially sick people.
For senior citizens or college students who may not have reliable
or any mode of transportation, it's an even more attractive option.
Patients can also continue a relationship with their PCP if they
move out of the area, or travel for work.

There are very few things that can't be well managed via telehealth.
If you have particularly severe conditions such as heart failure or
diabetes you may benefit from remote patient monitoring devices
so that we can more closely monitor your condition and vital signs.
In cases where a virtual visit is not sufficient, patients can schedule
an in-person visit with a virtual PCP at a satellite location where
they also see patients in person. The staff can also schedule lab tests,
imaging studies, procedures, and referrals with specialists.
If you need a lab test, our staff will help you with scheduling
the test or procedure, and you would go to the site where the tests
are normally performed. Your provider will receive the results and
they will be communicated to you, with any needed follow-up
plans, in a timely fashion. Test results will also be available in our
patient portal.

" As health care providers, it is important for us to provide care
for our patients where, when and how they need it, " said Carleen
Warner, MD, medical director, Lancaster region, PinnacleHealth
Now, patients who prefer the convenience of telehealth can make Medical Group. " The virtual primary care office will expand
it their permanent choice for primary care. You'll have your PCP convenience and accessibility for those who are not served by the
but can be seen via telehealth for almost all your health care needs. traditional office model. "

Practice hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
The UPMC Pinnacle nurse advice call line is available 24/7, and
UPMC has opened its first virtual primary car practice, offering provider on-call services are available evenings, overnight and
all the services of a regular primary care practice online or " virtual. " weekends. On-demand video visits are also available without an
appointment from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Sunday.
The practice will include the following virtual care providers: Dr.
Virtual Primary Care-UPMC is open to all patients 18 and over.
Heather Morphy, Dr. Angelique McKinney, Dr. Kimberly Lumsden,
Regular
insurance co-pays and deductibles apply. The practice cannot
Alison Gillmen, PA-C, Christine Hudgins, CRNP, Stacey Gibson
care
for
children under 18 due to their significant in-person health
PA-C, Jennifer Marks, CRNP, and Kathy Daisy, CRNP. The procare
needs
and vaccination schedules.
viders cover the entire UPMC south central Pa. footprint including
all of Pa. and other states. For patients who reside, attend college,
or relocate outside of Pennsylvania, they may be able to continue Schedule your appointment today
being a patient of the Virtual Primary Care-UPMC. Your PCP
New patients can sign up for a UPMC Pinnacle patient portal
will be able to advise you which states are eligible.
at mypinnaclehealth.org and schedule a new patient visit online in
A virtual PCP can treat patients via telehealth for most regular their portal or by calling 717-207-4800. Current patients with a
primary care needs, from chronic medical conditions like diabetes, UPMC Pinnacle primary care provider who choose to transfer to
high blood pressure, heart disease, high cholesterol and mental the Virtual Primary Care-UPMC practice, will see no interruption
health concerns to acute issues such as sore throat, fever, sinus in their care. Because we share one electronic medical record, your
infection, bladder infection and rash.
records will be readily available for your new PCP to care for you.
All you need is a smartphone or device, a MyPinnacleHealth
patient portal account and an internet connection.
How does it work?

FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT UPMC.COM/VIRTUALPCPCENTRALPA.

Central PA Medicine Winter 2021 15

http://www.dauphincms.org http://www.mypinnaclehealth.org http://www.UPMC.COM/VIRTUALPCPCENTRALPA

Central PA Medicine Winter 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Central PA Medicine Winter 2021