NEW DELHI: One such case is of vHealth by Aetna (vHealth.io), which has announced a special initiative by providing free access to its virtual doctor consultation service, until April 15, ensuring people have access to health care during the COVID-19 outbreak. The platform provides professional and confidential medical consultations by telephone and video to people across India.
The free vHealth virtual doctor consultation service is available for 30 days from the date of registration. People who register for the service can also utilise the benefit for up to four family members. Talking more on the same is Dr Sneh Khemka, President of Population Health, Aetna International. “As the nation’s top leaders are urging people to stay at home and even avoid going to the hospitals, unless in an extreme emergency, virtual consultation can be a single, trusted point of contact, for all their medical concerns for many in the country. As a primary health care service provider, we feel there is a need for us to step up and support the community at large,” says Khemka. The announcement comes at a time when governments and healthcare authorities, around the globe, are recommending social distancing, in an effort to curb the spread of the virus.
The vHealth doctor consultation is available via phone or video, from 8:00am to 8:00pm, except on national holidays. “People can call 1800-103-7093 to register for the services. Appointment for consultation can be booked by calling the vHealth customer service toll-free or via the mobile app,” informs Khemka, adding, “Telemedicine trained doctors will call the patient as per the scheduled appointment time for their consultation. Doctors understand the complete medical history and follow clinical protocols to arrive at the diagnosis and provide appropriate treatment option and guidance. The prescription is sent on the registered email ID along with a care plan.”
The team attending to patients comprise experienced in-house doctors trained in telemedicine, who are certified to practice teleconsultation after an extensive written and practical assessment.
“This enables our doctors to diagnose patients effectively by understanding their complete medical, surgical and social history. vHealth doctors also use cues like the voice of a patient, their breath, pictures of the affected area or recent test reports,” adds Khemka.
Additionally, vHealth doctors spend an average 15-20 minutes per consultation and conduct regular follow-ups with patients to provide proper guidance and ensure that the treatment helps the patient.
Services offered
Health by Aetna, Indi, offers a broad suite of health services and solutions which is focused on preventative and primary care to behavioural health, fitness, chronic disease management and wellness counselling. The team includes in-house physicians, dieticians, nurses and other clinical specialists in addition to a physical provider network for diagnostics, pathology, dental and General Physicians, etc. vHealth not just provides fast access to a doctor from any convenient location, it also help members save on time and money along with reducing the need for a physical consultation.