Nursing Facility Averts 7 Hospital Transfers in First Month of Utilizing PhoneDOCTORx

Fairhaven, MA, August 17, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Medway Country Manor Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation has averted seven hospital transfers in the first month of utilizing PhoneDOCTORx, a telemedicine service for skilled nursing facilities.

During off-hours, physicians at PhoneDOCTORx remotely provide on-call services using video conferencing with a camera connection. The camera allows the doctor to engage the patient face-to-face and can also be used for close-up examinations.

Using PhoneDOCTORx is preferable to traditional on-call arrangements, said John Peters III, Owner and Executive Director of Medway.

Before engaging with PhoneDOCTORx, Medway had to rely on off-hours on on-call physicians who consulted by phone rather than visiting the facility, Peters said. Because they lacked immediate, direct access to the patient's condition, they often had to recommend an expensive hospital visit as a cautionary measure.

Now, with PhoneDOCTORx in off-hours, physicians stationed at a remote location use the camera connection for a face-to-face visit with the patient. The camera can be wheeled to the patient's bedside and can even zoom into a specific area of a patient's body to provide a remarkably close and vivid view. Aided by this extra eye and access to the patient's electronic medical record, these physicians are less likely to require further examinations at the hospital.

Peters said physicians with PhoneDOCTORx offer peace of mind to patients and their families. "They can talk directly to the doctor, as if they were right in the examining room," he said. "In many cases, patients don't have to go to the hospital emergency room, which can be very unpleasant for an older patient."

Peters hopes availability of PhoneDOCTORx will eventually allow residents in his facility to be in closer touch with their personal physicians. These physicians often elect not to see patients in a nursing facility due to the on-call obligations. But with PhoneDOCTORx covering off-hours, personal physicians are more likely to stay in contact with these patients within working hours.

"With PhoneDOCTORx, physicians can maintain their relationship with the patient and hospitals don’t have to worry about unnecessary ER visits," Peters said. "Quality of care is enhanced and patients receive the treatment they deserve."

For more information, or to connect with PhoneDOCTORx, based in Fairhaven, Mass., call 866-539-7379 or visit www.phonedoctorx.com .

Medway Country Manor Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation is a 120-bed, Joint Commission-accredited, skilled nursing center based in Medway, Mass. It blends traditional long-term care with short-term post-operative medical and rehabilitative care, as well as a full complement of outpatient rehabilitation services. For more information, call 508-533-6634 or visit http://www.medwaymanor.com .