Dermatology Services Now Available via Telehealth Technology to UnitedHealthcare Medicaid Beneficiaries in Hawaii
August 31 2015 - 4:05PM
Business Wire
“Teledermatology” using online technology
gives patients better access to care, and quicker diagnosis and
treatment
People enrolled in UnitedHealthcare’s Medicaid plan in Hawaii
can now receive faster diagnosis and treatment of skin disorders
using remote imaging and telemedicine technology.
Primary care physicians will be able to deliver more timely
diagnosis and treatment through a new service that connects them to
dermatologists online through a secure telemedicine
application.
Using UnitedHealthcare’s new service, primary care physicians
can capture digital images of the area of concern during the
patient exam. They can then transmit the images to a dermatologist
through a secure, online application using their computer, tablet
or smartphone. This enables physicians to more quickly diagnose and
treat skin disorders, benefiting patients – especially people who
live in rural areas and lack access to dermatologists or other
specialists. Patients can receive treatment faster, and save time
and money.
“Sharing patient data and images remotely reduces the wait for
real-time results, which can be critically important for patients –
especially when it concerns conditions like skin cancer,” said Dr.
Ron Fujimoto, chief medical officer of UnitedHealthcare Community
Plan of Hawaii.
Skin cancer and other skin-related issues are a significant
concern in Hawaii due to constant sunshine and the state’s close
proximity to the equator. The rate of new melanoma diagnoses in
Maui, Hawaii and Kauai counties is higher than the national
average; in Maui County, the rate is nearly double the national
average. Although melanoma is not the most common type of skin
cancer, it is the most deadly, responsible for about 75 percent of
all deaths from skin cancer.1
For many people in Hawaii, the nearest dermatologist may be
hours away. Arranging to see a specialist could take weeks to
confirm an appointment and require additional time off work to
travel to the appointment.
“Telemedicine now gives Medicaid beneficiaries in Hawaii access
to more timely care and treatment,” said David Heywood, CEO of
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Hawaii, UnitedHealthcare’s
Medicaid business in the state. “This technology helps save time
and costs, and gives patients better access to care no matter where
they live.”
UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH) company, is
using telemedicine technology, care provider networks and benefit
plan/reimbursement programs to improve access and health outcomes,
and reduce costs. UnitedHealthcare offers a broad portfolio of
telemedicine programs, including consumer-directed, telepsychiatry,
remote home monitoring, specialty consultation and other services
to assist care providers in evaluating their patients’ clinical
needs.
UnitedHealthcare serves 235,000 people in Hawaii with a network
of 23 hospitals and more than 5,700 physicians and other care
providers statewide.
About
UnitedHealthcareUnitedHealthcare is dedicated to helping
people nationwide live healthier lives by simplifying the health
care experience, meeting consumer health and wellness needs, and
sustaining trusted relationships with care providers. The company
offers the full spectrum of health benefit programs for
individuals, employers, military service members, retirees and
their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and
contracts directly with more than 800,000 physicians and care
professionals, and 6,000 hospitals and other care facilities
nationwide. UnitedHealthcare is one of the businesses of
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a diversified Fortune 50 health and
well-being company. For more information, visit UnitedHealthcare at
www.uhc.com or follow @myUHC on Twitter.
1
http://www2.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2014-05/documents/sunsafety_fs_hawaii_v18_release_print.pdf
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UnitedHealthcareMolly McMillen, 612-353-7778
UnitedHealth (NYSE:UNH)
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