PROVIDENCE – A texting service, designed to help doctors remotely monitor patients with either confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, rolls out Monday.
Developed by the Providence-based nonprofit Healthcentric Advisors, the service is free for the next five weeks for all Rhode Island physicians.
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Using the platform, doctors can stay in touch with patients via text message to track their symptoms and receive quick notification if their conditions worsen.
Use of the service reduces unnecessary COVID-19 exposure for health care workers, and allows the most serious cases to take priority, Healthcentric says.
A donation is allowing free access to the platform for any medical practice in the Ocean State, but after five weeks Healthcentric may have to charge a fee.
“We’re looking to provide this as a public service during this very challenging time, and it is our hope to secure other funding to continue supporting practices. If that funding isn’t available, we are committed to maintaining a low, subsidized price for the practices to continue to use the system for their patients,” said Susan Rohwer, senior communications coordinator for the group.
The service spins off of Healthcentric’s existing digital platform designed to help health care workers keep tabs remotely on patients’ well-being and medical needs.
It took the organization about two weeks to develop the texting service specific to COVID-19 after a large practice, which was already using the broader platform, suggested it, Rohwer said.
Another new texting feature that will give doctors the capability to check on vulnerable patients’ food, housing, medication and other critical needs during the coronavirus pandemic is coming soon, she added.
For more information on the texting service for COVID-19 patients, visit healthcentricadvisors.org/free-covid-19-patient-monitoring-tool-by-healthcentric-advisors.
Elizabeth Graham is a PBN staff writer. She can be reached at Graham@PBN.com.
