News

Washington hospital to deploy telemedicine kiosks

May 19, 2016

CHI Franciscan Health System in Tacoma, Washington, plans to deploy telemedicine kiosks at one of its urgent care centers. Patients can use the kiosks to access virtual urgent care for a flat fee of $35, according to a report by MedCityNews.

The kiosks will act as an extension of Franciscan Virtual Urgent Care, a video service that helps users to treat certain emergency conditions. The hospital activated this service due to two-hour wait times at the peak of flu season.

"We have to find flexible ways to offer the same excellent care despite the ebb and flow of demand," said Lana Adzhigirey, program administrator of Virtual Health Services at Franciscan. "It's our responsibility to provide the better match of supply and demand."

The hospital has also appointed a "virtual urgent care concierge," to teach visitors how to use the kiosk, which is located in a semiprivate area, according to the report.