‘Virtual’ touted as a medical virtue
Staff writer
Residents needing advice of a medical specialist immediately in Marion soon will be able to get that information.
Starting Dec. 15, St. Luke Hospital will be opening a virtual care clinic.
At last week’s hospital board meeting, 26 providers were added to staff, though many of them will never step foot in Marion.
Hospital board members at the end of the meeting signed paperwork to allow the virtual providers to be on call.
Board member Dan Holub said the virtual clinic would allow patients to know the underlying reason for symptoms they are experiencing like chest pains.
“This will be a big use of the emergency room,” he said.
Even though doctors will be meeting patients virtually, the hospital vetted to make sure these are providers St. Luke wants, administrator Alex Haines said.
A third-party company was hired to do the vetting, including proof of graduation, licenses, references and a job check, Haines said,
“We want to make sure they do good work,” he said.
Tele-health doctors will not be allowed to admit anyone to the hospital, he said, but all the providers have gone through the vetting process.
Holub said he knew how important it is to have specialists available for patients and hospital staff.
“We have to know their credentials,” Holub said. “It’s an advisory system.”
Of the 26 physician credentialing 23 are telehealth doctors, among them is a radiologist.
The three who can meet patients in person are Deb McKibben, Alysha Haines and Tina Gaines
If a medical issue is discovered the patient will be told to consult with another specialist face to face, he said.
The virtual clinic was supposed to open Monday, but issues with an Internet provider pushed it back two weeks.