Health is advancing that idea to bring
primary and specialty care to patients
in places that are convenient to them,
such as in their homes through web-
enabled patient visits. This is especially
beneficial for patients who live in
rural areas, or those who need to
have frequent interactions with their
physicians to manage a chronic illness.
Given some of the barriers to
telemedicine in Texas, clinical and
administrative leadership at Baylor
Scott & White participated in efforts
to ease statewide restrictions on
electronic patient visits (or E-visits)
that limited eligibility to only those
patients with a documented annual
in-person visit with their provider.
Subsequent legislative changes have
opened up access to services like E-visits
to more patients. E-visits involve a
short online asynchronous intelligent
interview for health conditions of a
less serious nature. The results of that
interview are then sent to a clinician
for determination and diagnosis, with
a treatment plan ready within an hour
if the condition is appropriate for
online care.
“For the right conditions, E-visits
are excellent,” says Glen Couchman,
MD, executive vice president and chief
medical officer for the Baylor Scott &
White – Central Texas Division. He
helped lead the effort to amend the
legislation, meeting with the Texas
What is a primary care provider?
Primary care providers are trained to accurately evaluate and treat people
for a broad variety of conditions that affect all ages. Every day they care
for acute illnesses and injuries, chronic conditions (like diabetes and heart
failure), and are also experts in preventive care (with a goal of keeping their
patients healthy and well). They also play an important role in coordinating
and managing specialty care. Within the Primary Care specialty are
subspecialties that provide slightly different types of care.
FAMILY MEDICINE (also called Family Practice) physicians see children
and adults. They complete a three-year residency, are board certified,
update their training annually, and must be recertified every 10 years.
GENERAL INTERNAL MEDICINE physicians usually treat only adults.
PEDIATRICIANS treat a wide variety of conditions in children.
GERIATRICIANS are trained in internal or family medicine to care for
the complex needs of older adults.
ADVANCED PRACTICE PROVIDERS (also Nurse Practitioners and
Physician Assistants) provide care and treatment while working under
the close supervision of a doctor. They have been certified to perform
many of the same tasks as a doctor.
bswhealth.com | Fall 17 THE CATALYST
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