How Troy Medical Works:
Example: Rural Cardiology Clinic
The example is for a cardiologist working in a rural health clinic (RHC) but the same process can be used for any field in medicine, from medical to surgical. The most important step to take is the first step...see the patient where they are and get them into the medical system as an outpatient.
01
Scheduling
Cardiology clinic is held Tuesdays from 1:00–3:00 PM at a rural health clinic (RHC). This time is found by matching the physician availability with the RHC space availability and the volume needed in that rural community to maximize physician utilization.
02
A Referral is Made
A patient is seen by their primary care provider and a cardiology evaluation is needed. The referral is sent through Troy Medical, who monitors this referral processing to ensure that the patient is seen in the correct clinic location at the appropriate time. The referral then goes through the Urban Hospital system for insurance verification, authorization, etc.
03
Check-In
On appointment day, the patient arrives at the RHC, is checked into the Urban Hospital physician’s EMR by the RHC receptionist, and completes required forms (e.g., HIPAA, COB, etc).
04
Rooming the Patient
A local RHC assistant rooms the patient, records vitals, and sets up the telehealth platform. This crucial step solves for connectivity, technology gaps, and provides any needed local support.
05
Pre-Visit Intake
Troy Medical’s remote medical assistant begins the visit via the telehealth platform, gathering history and background for the physician, just like any normal visit.
06
Telehealth Visit
The physician joins via telehealth for the consultation. Devices like the EKO stethoscope allow virtual auscultation of heart and lung sounds to allow a robust virtual physical exam. The physician documents the encounter in their EMR and places orders for labs, radiology, medications, etc., just like any normal visit.
07
Post-Visit Support
The Troy Medical medical assistant reviews the care plan, answer questions, and schedule follow-ups. Eligible patients are enrolled in programs like Principal Care Management (PCM) or Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM), and Troy Medical manages follow-up scheduling and all care coordination.
08
Procedures/Surgeries
If advanced diagnostics or procedures (e.g., cardiac cath, nuclear study, CABG) are needed, the medical assistant works with the physician or hospital's coordinator to schedule them.
Without
Troy Medical...
1 / Referral to Cardiology
Patient presents with mild-moderate cardiac symptoms. Primary care suggests seeing a cardiologist and refers the patient to cardiology in the nearest city 90 min drive away.
2 / Patient Does Not Make Appointment
Patient can get an appointment in 3-4 months, but declines because the drive is too far and they cannot take a day off of work or spend significant money on gas to see a doctor for something that only bothers them every once in a while.
3 / Patient Has a Heart Attack, Goes to Hospital ER
The patient has a severe heart attack and is sent to your ER via ambulance and admitted into the ICU for several days before being discharged home. The patient is told they need to follow up with cardiology.
4 / Patient Has No Follow-Up
Patient is seen by their primary care, but there is no cardiology in their home town, does not have adequate home technology for a telehealth visit, and follow-up is even more difficult now that the patient had a major heart attack.
5 / Patient Returns to Hospital ER
The patient doesn't feel well and has not had appropriate follow-up and begins to go into heart failure and is readmitted 2 weeks after discharge.
This is why rural patients have:
-
40% higher hospital admissions
-
24% Higher ER utilization
-
23% higher mortality rates!
With
Troy Medical...
1 / Referral to Cardiology
Patient presents with mild-moderate cardiac symptoms. Primary care suggests seeing a cardiologist and refers the patient to cardiology in the hybrid telehealth clinic located in the same building for 2 weeks from now.
2 / Insurance Verified and Patient Seen In Clinic
The patient's referral is routed to the rural telehealth clinic, insurance is verified and all authorizations are completed. The patient makes an appointment in 2 weeks and brings his wife with him to the visit. This is very easy, because it's the local clinic they already know.
3 / Patient Seen by Cardiology: Labs & EKG Ordered
The cardiologist agrees his symptoms might be cardiac in origin and orders labs and an EKG to be performed at the local hospital. The patient will return in 1-2 weeks for follow-up on these results. Troy Medical's dedicated medical assistant assists the patient with where, when, and how to get these studies performed and alerts the cardiologist when the results are back
4 / Patient Needs More Evaluation
The EKG shows concerns for cardiac ischemia and the patient is educated that he will need to be seen at the urban hospital for a nuclear medicine study and possibly a cardiac catheterization. Pre-authorization for these studies are initiated through his insurance. The Troy Medical medical assist helps the patient coordinate these studies with the urban hospital system.
5 / Patient Receives Scheduled Proceedures
The patient has the nuclear stress test that shows reversible ischemia and undergoes cardiac cathterization with stent placements at the hospital. He stays 2 days in the hospital and is discharged home with a follow-up appointment in the hybrid Telehealth clinic the following week.
6 / Appropriate Long-Term Care: No Readmission
The patient sees his regular cardiologist who appropriately manages his long-term condition to avoid hospital readmissions or unnecessary ER visits.