Virtual Health Overview

Highmark has offered virtual health services for many years, but the COVID-19 pandemic provided an opportunity for many of its members to try virtual health for the first time. The benefits of providing both members and providers with the efficiency and safety of virtual health are here to stay.

Virtual health encompasses a broad spectrum of healthcare services delivered remotely using technology. This goes beyond simple video consultations; it includes a wide range of modalities and applications, but not limited to:

• Live Video Consultations (Synchronous): Real-time interactions between patients and providers using video conferencing platforms, enabling face-to-face consultations, diagnoses, and treatment discussions.
• Store-and-Forward (Asynchronous): Patients transmit medical information – images, test results, or patient-reported outcomes – to providers, who review them at their convenience and respond later. This is particularly useful for dermatology, radiology, and pathology.
• Remote Patient Monitoring (RPM): Utilizes wearable sensors, connected devices, and apps to collect physiological data (heart rate, blood pressure, blood glucose levels, etc.) continuously. This data is transmitted to providers, allowing for proactive monitoring and intervention, preventing hospital readmissions and improving chronic disease management.

Virtual health can be used by a health care practitioner to provide health care services, including, but not limited to:

• Managing chronic conditions (diabetes, hypertension, asthma)
• Providing medication refills
• Medication management and adherence 
• Addressing non-urgent health concerns
• Conducting routine check-ups
• Post-operative follow-ups
• Discussing test results
• Adjusting treatment plans
• Therapy sessions
• Psychiatric evaluations
• Patient education
• Health coaching

Virtual care can complement a physician’s practice by:

• Improving patient outcomes
• Managing chronic conditions
• Increasing access to health care while providing scheduling flexibility and increased productivity
• Reducing no-shows
• Reducing patient/office staff/clinician exposure to pathogens
• Cutting down on hospital readmissions
• Boosting patient engagement and satisfaction

 See Highmark Provider Manual Chapter 2, Unit 5 for additional information regarding Telemedicine Services.

Virtual health solutions for on-demand member access to urgent care and behavioral and mental health support.

With Well360 Virtual Dermatology Clinic, patients can share skin, hair, and nail concerns with one of more than 160 certified dermatologists. Patients can get treatment and prescriptions for chronic conditions and new diagnoses, or schedule follow-ups with a dermatologist (up to 30 days from initial appointment).

Well360 Virtual Dermatology Clinic

Well360 Virtual Urgent Care provides 24/7 on-demand urgent care. Patients can get care for chronic and acute conditions, avoiding costly emergency department, urgent care and inpatient utilization.

Well360 Virtual Urgent Care

Well360 Virtual Women’s Health clinic offers acute care for women’s health issues with a licensed obstetrician/gynecologist. Patients receive medical care as well as counseling during and after pregnancy with lactation concerns.

Well360 Virtual Women's Health Clinic