Cerner announced this week that it would be offering a new video care platform to its CommunityWorks clients at no cost through the end of next year.

The platform is aimed at addressing the healthcare needs of those living in rural areas. Cerner says its customers' patients can receive care using their modality of choice via the new program, which it's calling Video Visit. 

"Throughout the pandemic, we’ve seen a significantly increased desire from both consumers and healthcare providers for virtual health solutions and rapid innovation and adoption of existing products," said Mitchell Clark, president of Cerner CommunityWorks, in a statement.

WHY IT MATTERS

Cerner's cloud-based CommunityWorks EHR is designed for community and critical access hospitals.

The Video Visit program is part of its suite of tools enabling organizations to provide interactive communications between consumers and clinicians from any location, according to Cerner.

The free trial will be in place through the end of 2021, the vendor says, with expedited implementation "taking place in days, not weeks or months."

Cerner also offers virtual care through its collaboration with Amwell. But Cerner representatives say the Video Visit offering for CommunityWorks clients is a Cerner-native solution.

THE LARGER TREND

In response to the pandemic, multiple EHR companies have partnered with telehealth vendors or developed their own offerings.

At the beginning of May, Cerner competitor Epic Systems tapped Twilio to provide the video communication-backend for the EHR company's new telehealth platform.

One month later, athenahealth announced the launch of its EHR-embedded telehealth tool in response to rising demand from patients for virtual care.

ON THE RECORD

"This trial program delivers a comprehensive, integrated experience that empowers consumers to be active participants in their health and care," said Clark. "I look forward to helping our clients provide another way to adapt to, and overcome, challenges presented by this pandemic in order to provide the best care and experience for their patient."

Kat Jercich is senior editor of Healthcare IT News.
Twitter: @kjercich
Email: kjercich@himss.org
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.