Pikeville Medical Center unveils new telehealth services to curb COVID-19 risk

Pikeville Medical Center is using telehealth services to communicate virtually with patients. This will help patients avoid unnecessary office or hospital visits as a preventive way to help lower the risk for contracting COVID-19.

Pikeville Medical Center will make telehealth services available starting March 30.

With new telehealth services, you can keep your primary care appointments by seeing your primary care doctor virtually. Virtual check-ins allow patients to communicate from their home with a provider over their smartphone or computer. Through patient-initiated virtual communication, providers can receive images from patients and discuss symptoms and treatment recommendations.

PMC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Aaron Crum says " this isn't much different than going to the hospital in person."

"You have an appointment time, and you go into a waiting room, it's a virtual waiting room. You'll check-in, and go through the screening questions and then you'll be ready for your visit with your nurse practitioner, physician assistant or physician," Crum said.

WiFi hotspots will be available in Pikeville to give patients more accessibility.

"If you are familiar with Dr.King's office on River Drive which is directly across the street from our hospital. That area has been set up for a hotspot for WiFi," Crum said.

Drive-thru lab services will also be available next to the PMC drive-thru pharmacy. When your provider recommends having blood drawn, you can now get it done from the comfort of your car.

As for patients who still need to visit a PMC clinic, the waiting room is now the parking lot. Patients will call the clinic from the parking lot to check-in. When the doctor is ready to see them, a text alert will be sent.

A three-lane, drive-through pharmacy will allow patients to pick up medications without ever having to leave their car.