Feeling Ill? Crawl Under the Covers and Connect With Your Doctor Via Your Smartphone at SCL Health

SCL Health in Montana, the non-profit parent organization for St. Vincent Healthcare is Billings is joining health care organizations across the country in providing its patients with virtual doctor visits.

Now when you're suffering a fever, sore throat, aches and a cough, just stay in your pajamas, snuggle under the covers and reach for your smartphone or tablet immediately connect with a board-certified physician.

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SCL Health is the first health system in Montana to integrate physician video visits for patients, according to Angela Douglas, communications specialist for St. Vincent Healthcare. The new service comes through a partnership between SCL Health and Doctor On Demand, the leading video medicine provider.

“Patients today expect more out of healthcare,” said SCL Health President and CEO Mike Slubowski in a prepared statement. “Not only do they want to feel better, but they want the kind of experience and value that they get in so many other areas of their lives. This is one way we are delivering that experience.”

Doctor On Demand offers patients immediate access to a board-certified physician from the comfort of home on any smartphone, tablet or desktop computer. For just $40, the price of a typical co-pay, a patient can be seen within minutes for any number of common ailments and injuries, according to Douglas. If clinically appropriate, Doctor On Demand physicians can send prescriptions electronically to the patient’s local pharmacy.

This new service is designed to complement the established relationship between a primary care physician and his or her patient. Common uses for this innovative new service are for when someone is considering an ER or urgent care center for a non-emergency medical issue; for when a primary care physician is not available such as on weekends, holidays and after business hours; and for when a person is traveling.

"We created Doctor On Demand to provide the most convenient access to high-quality, cost effective healthcare," said Adam Jackson, co-founder and CEO, in a prepared release. "We’re thrilled to partner with SCL Health. Together, we can provide continuity of care for more patients in Montana, further improving and expanding the healthcare experience.”

The SCL Doctor On Demand service is one of many ways SCL Health is working to make healthcare easier to access for consumers, Douglas said. Others include MyChart, an online service that enables patients to view lab results, request appointments, and interact with care providers; and improved scheduling.

Top issues treated by Doctor On Demand include: