Caregility, a clinical collaboration and communications technology company, has debuted its Caregility iConsult Mobile application, and is giving it to clients free to help them combat the COVID-19 pandemic. iConsult Mobile is an extension of iConsult, a telehealth application.

WHY IT MATTERS

The new mobile application includes far-end camera and audio controls and the ability to add other clinicians and family members on demand to any virtual consult with a patient at any location over any mobile device.

Designed specifically for clinicians, the mobile version is available for both iOS and Android devices. The application gives clinicians multiple options to consult over a secure, HIPAA-compliant connection to patients or other clinicians.

Clinicians can start video consults from their mobile devices and connect directly with patient bedside-camera systems while maintaining full far-end camera and audio control. Clinicians can also initiate care coordination with other clinicians, both inside a health system and across other health systems. And clinicians can invite guests such as family members into video calls directly. If needed, all three clinical workflows can be used within the same video call.

While clinicians need to use iConsult Mobile to ensure secure, HIPAA-compliant connections and to have extra healthcare-specific features and controls, patients and other guests do not need to download the app. They can join video consults by clicking a link in their browsers.

THE LARGER TREND

The outbreak of the COVID-19 virus has created a red-alert need for healthcare at a distance, including telemedicine services and applications like the one developed at Caregility.

In an effort to fight the spread of the virus, the HHS Office for Civil Rights announced on Tuesday that during the coronavirus pandemic it would use discretion when enforcing HIPAA compliance for telehealth communications tools.

Meanwhile, the Trump Administration has expanded Medicare telehealth benefits, which the CMS says would enable beneficiaries to get telehealth services in physician’s offices, hospitals, nursing homes, rural health clinics and their homes.

ON THE RECORD

“iConsult Mobile is the latest addition to the suite of solutions that are purpose built to address the unique requirements of clinical workflows,” said Caregility president and COO Mike Brandofino in a statement. “It happens to be the perfect solution to help with remote screening and management of COVID-19 patients. We have therefore decided to make iConsult Mobile available at no cost to our health system customers during the current crisis.”

Twitter: @SiwickiHealthIT
Email the writer: bill.siwicki@himssmedia.com
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.