Tri-Care Giving Telehealth Services a Try - Telemental Care With Access Provided by American Well

I have written about American Well on the blog a few times, and they are the company that provides the software to get everyone connected, patients and doctors for visits via the internet with a web cam.

American Well – Video Consults for Physicians

Blue Cross has an ongoing pilot program in Hawaii and the service will be offered to TRICARE patients in Hawaii to begin with as it is the first trial for the US military with using the online telehealth services in this format. UnitedHealthCare is also using the service and I am guessing will connect up with their partnership with Cisco on the national network they are slated to create. BD

UnitedHealth To Spend Tens of Million of Dollars with Cisco to Build Nationwide Telehealth Network

The Defense Department’s military health system will launch Aug. 1 an online system to support counseling and other behavioral healthcare for service members and their families. DOD’s TRICARE health system is targeting the services especially to military and eligible reserves returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Web-based TRICARE Assistance Program (TRIAP) is a demonstration project that lets members and their families use computers, Web cams and associated software to speak virtually face-to-face with a licensed counselor at any time, according to Rear Adm. Christine Hunter, deputy director of the TRICARE Management Activity, which administers the military health plan

“While most service members will still get face-to-face care in a military treatment facility or through the TRICARE network, the addition of telemental health care and TRIAP will really help us enhance access to a variety of behavioral health care services,” Hunter said.

TRICARE’s telemental health services use medically-supervised, secure audio-visual conferencing to link beneficiaries with offsite providers. TRICARE’s regional contractors are establishing networks of telemental health providers, who can evaluate, treat and refer patients as necessary via video.

TriWest will provide behavioral health services to members in Hawaii through access to American Well’s Online Care platform. Military service members and their families will be able to speak with social workers, psychologists and psychiatrists beginning Aug. 1.