Raleigh nonprofit uses virtual office visits to protect at-risk patients

Now patients of Alliance Medical Ministry can use telehealth to access health care from their home or office.

Dr. Sheryl Joyner with Alliance Medical Ministry said providers can use the virtual visits to assess patients' symptoms and get them vital supplies. The virtual visits keep high-risk patients out of the office and away from germs.

"Since most of our patients have chronic medical conditions, it's important that they stay home unless there's a true emergency," Joyner said.

What is telehealth and how can I access it?

Their new online service enhances their mission -- serving the health care needs of the “working uninsured” in Wake County. The clinic helps reduce the number of people in emergency departments and those admitted into hospitals.

Executive Director Pete Tannenbaum explains hospital visits are costly to uninsured patients and the community.

"Most of our patients have a cell phone or computer, so they can access telehealth," Tannenbaum said. "We have a pharmacy drive-thru. With the pandemic or without the pandemic, our patients need their insulin."

The coronavirus pandemic did not catch the clinic unprepared. Alliance Medical Ministry began implementing the system three months ago, and it has been up and running for two weeks.

"We are the first free and charitable clinic in the state of North Carolina to implement telehealth," Tannenbaum said. "It allows our providers to provide medical care to patients in an environment where the provider -- nor the patients -- is not at risk.

The Alliance Medical Ministry does not deal with coronavirus issues but refers all those inquiries to the Wake County Health Department.