Updated Press Release from Scotland County Hospital
March 23, 2020
MEMPHIS, MO – Scotland County Hospital, Memphis Medical Services and Lancaster Medical Services are suspending all in-person non-essential visits to the hospital and clinics. If you have a question as to whether your previously scheduled clinic appointment or previously scheduled outpatient treatment at the hospital is essential, please call either clinic or the hospital and a triage nurse will assist you (Memphis Medical Services 660-465-2828 and Lancaster Medical Services 660-457-3655).
If it is determined that you need to see a clinician in one of the clinics or have an appointment with one of the outpatient ancillary services, you will be given an in-person appointment. All patients entering the facilities will be asked to wear a mask upon arrival, have a temperature check and be asked a few questions. If it is determined that you could be served by a “Virtual Visit,” you will be offered an appointment with a clinician for a “Virtual Visit” via tele-health. A “Virtual Visit” is simply a doctor-patient (or mid-level clinician such as a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant) interaction that occurs via a Web-based platform. The patient will be in their home, while the clinician will be in the clinic during regular clinic hours.
To conduct a “Virtual Visit,” the patient needs an electronic device with a camera and Internet connection. The device can be either Android or Apple. The platform the Hospital has implemented meets all of the patient privacy best-practices as well as a secure payment method. Once the patient calls one of the clinics to make an appointment for a “Virtual Visit,” the patient will be emailed or text a link from the clinician and at five minutes prior to the scheduled appointment time, the patient will click on that link to be connected.
Medicare and Medicaid patients are covered for “Virtual Visits” during the National Emergency. Commercially insured patients have variable coverage for “Virtual Visits” and clinic staff will attempt to verify with the insurer before scheduling the visit. Commercial insurance may not cover “Virtual Visits,” in that case, the patient will be billed $42.50 as a self-pay patient, after discounts are applied. For an uninsured patient, the out-of-pocket cost is $42.50 per patient “Virtual Visit,” after discounts are applied. The web-based payment platform, for “Virtual Visits,” accepts debit and credit cards.
To encourage “Virtual Visits” during this uncertain time, the Hospital Board and Administration feel it is a time to lighten the burden for patients by waiving the usual co-pays that accompany insurance benefits for the “Virtual Visits” only.
Dr. Kelsey Davis-Humes and nurse, Kelly Yearns, prepare to conduct a Virtual Visit on Monday afternoon at Memphis Medical Services. A “Virtual Visit” is simply a doctor-patient (or mid-level clinician such as a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant) interaction that occurs via a Web-based platform. The patient will be in their home, while the clinician will be in the clinic during regular clinic hours. To conduct a “Virtual Visit,” the patient needs an electronic device with a camera and Internet connection. The device can be either Android or Apple.
