Another healthcare option for Hartford residents is now available to patients.
Hartford Healthcare says 70-percent of emergency department visits to Hartford Hospital this year could have been seen at an alternative care site.
That’s why Hartford Healthcare is launching the CareNow Same-Day Clinic.
"That'll help our wait times in the main E.D. for patients who are sicker and overall the organization as a whole,” said Cheryl Ficara, president of Hartford Hospital.
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It's for minor health problems, like the flu, an infection, or an injury.
Its scope of practice is a little bit different than an urgent care. The same-day clinic doesn't do X-rays or stitches, but it gives patients an appointment with a provider, prescriptions, and testing.
“We have an entire building of specialty services in this building we can connect our patients to,” said Hartford Hospital’s Dr. Prem Kumar.
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It's a virtual, hybrid model of care, focused on flexibility and accessibility.
Nurses and medical assistants will use something called the “Tytocare” device to preform exams and check vitals. Providers will be called in on an iPad, and will be able to explain to patients the results of the exams and administer next steps.
"If we get very, very busy as i expect we will, we'll have more providers watching that queue to get patients in and out as quickly as possible,” said Cherie Kernzer, of Hartford Healthcare.
This is the third alternative primary care option Hartford Healthcare is offering in the Capitol City.
Hartford Mayor Arunan Arulumpalum says increasing primary care access is especially important in Hartford. He says the average life expectancy of someone in the city is 68 years, which is significantly lower than the overall life expectancy in Connecticut, which is 80 years.
The clinic is open and seeing patients already.
