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NEW ORLEANS– Ochsner Health’s telemedicine platform, Ochsner Anywhere Care, is seeing record numbers of enrollments and visits since the COVID-19 outbreak in Louisiana.

Patients can see a provider on-demand, receive assessment and appropriate treatment, all from the comfort and safety of home.

In March 2020, urgent care on-demand and behavioral health scheduled appointments increased 852 percent in enrollments and 933 percent in virtual visits over February 2020.The trend is continuing in April, with daily virtual visits growing significantly.

Key highlights include:

• March 2020 Ochsner Anywhere Care enrollments: 10,084 (February 2020: 1,059)
• March 2020 Ochsner Anywhere Care virtual visits: 3,616 (February 2020: 350)
• April 2, 2020 Ochsner Anywhere Care virtual visits: 2,700 (March 2, 2020: 39)

“It is reassuring and evident that those in need of non-emergent medical care are heeding the advice of local, state and federal officials during the COVID-19 outbreak and are sheltering-in-place, leaving only for essential errands,” said David Houghton, MD, medical director of Ochsner Anywhere Care. “Telemedicine has made it possible to safely and effectively treat illnesses from home and we are seeing thousands of patients choose Ochsner for their virtual healthcare needs.”

Launched in November 2018, Ochsner Anywhere Care is a virtual visit platform in which patients can instantly connect with board-certified family medicine, internal medicine and pediatric physicians and advanced practice providers for secure, live, on-demand video visits via their smartphone, tablet or personal computer. It’s an integrated and streamlined experience delivered through a free Ochsner Anywhere Care mobile app on iOS or Android or online through a computer www.ochsner.org/ochsner-anywhere-care.Ochsner Anywhere Care is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Effective March 24, 2020, the out-of-pocket cost for urgent care visits through the platform decreased temporarily to $10 per visit.