The State of Virginia defines telemedicine as delivering healthcare services through interactive audio or video technology. It is entirely limited to real-time or near real-time interaction between the patient and provider and for purposes of diagnosis and treatment only.
On the other hand, telehealth services are more widely encompassing and include the use of audio-only telephone, electronic mail message, facsimile transmission, online questionnaire, remote patient monitoring devices, and store-and-forward technologies.
The practice of telemedicine and telehealth in Virginia has expanded access to various medical services, for both providers and consumers alike, such as:
- Chronic condition monitoring
- Communication between providers, specialists, patients, and other health care practitioners
- Consultation
- Diagnosis
- Treatment plan options
- Follow-up care and questions can be addressed immediately
- Health assessments
- Health care information and medical advice can be easily clarified
- Intervention
- Issuance of laboratory orders, electronic transmission of results, and direct reading by providers
- Medication Management
- Online prescription of medications
- Remote patient monitoring
- Scheduling of both telemedicine and in-office appointments
Currently, there is a pending Statewide Telehealth Plan in Virginia’s Legislative which seeks to further the application of telemedicine and telehealth in emergency medicine, the general practice of medicine, non-emergency triage services, treating chronic illnesses, and other services deemed appropriate by the Board of Health. The use of store and forward and remote patient monitoring technologies are also included and promoted in the bill.
The Plan also aims to incorporate the patient’s home and school up to postsecondary institutions as eligible originating sites and the provision for payment of emergency medical services and remote patient monitoring services through the Board of Medical Assistance Services.
Want to learn more about telemedicine in Virginia? Check out these quick jump-tos for an easier navigation of the topics:
- Unmatched Feature of Telemedicine in Virginia
- Virginia State Telemedicine Laws and Policies
- State Reimbursement Policy
- Public Health Emergency (PHE)
- 10 Top-rated Online Doctors and Telemedicine Providers in Virginia
- Telemedicine Resources in Virginia
Unmatched Feature of Telemedicine in Virginia
One of the essential tools for engaging in telemedicine services is broadband. The state of Virginia focuses on improving policies on telemedicine practice and has set up agencies and organizations to make sure that more rural and underserved areas gain access to broadband telecommunications.
The Center for Innovative Technology, the Department of Housing and Community Development, the Governor’s Chief of Broadband Advisor, Virginia Interactive, and many others work hand-in-hand to develop and find ways to make telemedicine, among other things, accessible to all Virginians.
The Virginia government sees that all the tools needed by consumers and providers are within reach so that telemedicine laws and regulations implemented can be maximized and applied efficiently.
Virginia State Telemedicine Laws and Policies
Who can practice telemedicine in Virginia?
The general rule is that the patient’s location determines the jurisdiction that governs the telemedicine practice of the provider. Therefore, the telemedicine provider must be licensed in the state of Virginia to render services to patients located within the state validly.
When insurers are added to the equation, the provider’s location can sometimes be the determining factor for reimbursement. This means that a provider must also be licensed in the state where he or she is located to be eligible for reimbursement of rendered telemedicine services regardless of where the patient is located.
A VA licensed physician can be located outside the state for as long as he or she is within the US continent when delivering telemedicine services to validly and legally render such services to patients in Virginia.
Out-of-State Providers
Healthcare practitioners located outside the state but whose service address is located within 50 miles from the borders of Virginia can be considered in-state providers for Medicaid purposes.
Emergency Medical Services Personnel Licensure Compact
The Emergency Medical Services Personnel Licensure Compact or the EMS Compact is currently enacted and participated in by 21 states, including Virginia. It has helped EMS personnel’s mobility across boundaries of member states and be immediately recognized and allowed to render services to patients outside their state of licensure.
New applicants for the EMS license must submit themselves to an FBI biometric criminal background check. The Privilege-to-Practice within the jurisdiction of other Compact member states does not entitle the licensee to practice without limits. Moreover, the privilege is only for a short term and on an intermittent basis for approved circumstances as the nature of their profession only covers emergency cases.
As part of their efforts for transparency, member states must share all licensure information of members under their jurisdiction and have the corresponding obligation to report any disciplinary actions undergone by licensees with other member states.
Nurse Licensure Compact
The State of Virginia is an active member of the Nurse Licensure Compact (NLC), which means that nurses who are licensees in Virginia can provide care to other NLC member states without acquiring a special license for the purpose and vice versa.
The Nurse Licensure Compact is already fully implemented in the state of Virginia. Interested nurses need only apply for a compact or multistate license through the state’s Board of Nursing website. However, the Compact is only applicable to registered nurses and licensed practical nurses. It does not include advanced practice registered nurses because the latter must be a holder of an individual state license to practice in that particular state.
The nurse’s declared primary state of residency must be a Compact member so that such a nurse can be eligible for a multistate license. Any change of residency must be duly reported to the board so that your record can be updated and other requirements can be complied with in time because the Compact does not provide a grace period.
Occupational Therapy Interjurisdictional Licensure Compact
Senate Bill 1189, if eventually passed into law, would allow occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants who are licensed in Virginia to extend their practice in other member states. The state’s Board of Medicine is tasked to formulate regulations regarding the Compact implementation in Virginia. The Virginia Senate and House Committees have already set its effectivity date on January 1, 2022.
The Compact is also yet to take effect upon the tenth member state’s enactment of the same. Although this is a relatively new Compact, it would open up doors for both practitioners and consumers regarding the delivery of occupational therapy in multiple states and the availability of professionals in this specialized field to areas where there are only a few.
Physical Therapy Compact
Physical therapists and physical therapist assistants who are holders of a Virginia license to practice can also practice in multiple states as long as they are members of the PT Compact. This is made possible by the Compact’s governing board which is composed of delegates from member states and American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) and Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) representatives who come up with regulations to expand the practice of these healthcare professionals and to increase the access of patients to their services.
Virginia is a PT Compact member state that is actively issuing and accepting compact privileges to all physical therapists and PT assistants to and from other member states.
Psychology Interjurisdictional Compact
The Psychological Interjurisdictional Compact allows licensed psychologists from member states to practice telepsychology and temporary in-person consultations in each other’s jurisdictions. One may opt to practice either of the two ways or both.
For telepsychology, the applicant must have an ASPPB E-Passport and Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (APIT). For a temporary in-person practice, an ASPPB Interjurisdictional Practice Certificate (IPC) and Temporary Authorization to Practice (TAP) must be obtained first by the interested mental health practitioner.
Virginia has already enacted Senate Bill 760, which has likewise been acknowledged and formally adopted by the PSYPACT Commission.
Standard of Care
The Virginia Medical Board has set the professionalism and standard of care to be observed by healthcare professionals who practice via telemedicine. At a minimum, telemedicine providers must:
- Follow all applicable laws and regulations
- Observe the standards of medical practice
- Put the patient’s welfare first
- Practice under their profession’s code of ethics
- Uphold the confidentiality of their patient’s health information
A healthcare provider cannot render any medical advice or services through telemedicine modalities if the following acts are not conducted first:
- Confirmation of the patient’s identity
- Verification and authentication of the patient’s location
- Disclosure of the provider of his or her identity and credentials
- Laying down of modality choices, treatment methods, limitations, and risks associated with availing of telemedicine services
- Obtainment of the required informed consent from the patient receiving telemedicine services
Informed Consent
Informed consent from the patient is required before the rendering of any telemedicine service. Such consent shall be maintained throughout the telemedicine service delivery, including follow-up and other related services. Informed consent can only be considered appropriate and comprehensive if it contains the following information:
- Identity, location, and credentials of the telemedicine provider
- Allowed and available healthcare services that can be availed of by the patient via telemedicine
- Acceptance by the patient of the provider’s decision whether or not the delivery of healthcare services via telemedicine is appropriate for the patient’s case
- Security features set and measures observed by the provider to ensure confidentiality and privacy during telemedicine encounters
- Hold harmless clause just in case technical difficulties and failures will be experienced and any information transmitted will be lost
- Disclosure if a third party can gain access to any patient-identifiable information and the fact that express patient consent is needed for the same
Confidentiality
A patient’s medical record contains all health-related information such as informed consent, communications, evaluation, laboratory results, consultations, treatment, prescriptions, and other data or history of the patient.
Due to the nature of these pieces of information, the highest level of confidentiality must be maintained by the practitioner following both federal and state laws and regulations. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is the law issued by the federal government that sets the standard for protecting patient health information, especially from being disclosed without the patient’s knowledge or consent.
E-prescription
A practitioner-patient relationship is a mandatory requirement before any type of medication is issued electronically to the patient. The prescribing provider must take the patient’s updated drug and medical history to avoid any contraindications or drug interactions. He or she must also inform the patient of the benefits of the medication prescribed and the risks associated with taking the prescription.
An examination must be conducted through the use of real-time interactive technology or by any equipment capable of producing images and results that can be electronically transmitted from the patient’s location to the provider’s site, either initially or as a follow-up.
In all electronic prescriptions, the provider or agent must indicate their contact information so that pharmacists to whom the subject prescriptions are forwarded can directly communicate.
E-prescribing of controlled substances falling under Schedules II, III, IV, V, and VI must be done following federal rules and guidelines provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration. An additional requirement for the online prescription of Schedule VI controlled substances is the physical location of the prescriber within the Commonwealth of Virginia. If the prescriber does not have one, he or she must be able to refer to another licensed practitioner who can conduct an in-person examination when the need arises.
Only doctors of medicine, dentistry, osteopathy, podiatry, and veterinary, along with nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and TPA-certified optometrists, can issue prescriptions for controlled substances.
The decision of whether to issue prescriptions via telemedicine is up to the provider’s judgment and professional discretion. The decision of which pharmacy to buy the prescribed medications from is up to the patient. The provider cannot order that such prescription be completed at a particular pharmacy. A filled-up online questionnaire by a patient is not sufficient to prescribe medications electronically as this does not pass the required standard of care in medical practice.
Teledentistry
Teledentistry services can be delivered using electronic technologies, interactive audio or video communication equipment, and other telehealth systems.
A dentist can forego a real-time video conferencing examination of the patient if the latter has been examined already by any licensed dentist in person six months before said patient availed of teledentistry services and that the findings report on that examination is made available for review to the teledentistry provider.
If the online dentist cannot accurately determine the patient’s dental state upon initial virtual interaction, he or she can request further diagnostic tests or completely refer the patient for an in-office consultation.
Telemental Health Services
A mental health provider may conduct a comprehensive needs assessment through telemedicine for crisis intervention, intensive community treatment, partial hospitalization, and psychosocial rehabilitation. Such an assessment must meet the standards set forth by the Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS).
Only a credentialed addiction treatment professional can render psychotherapy and substance use disorder (SUD) counseling using telemedicine modalities.
As for medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder: for the prescribing provider to render the medication needed under the required standards, the receiving patient must be accompanied by a qualified provider and telepresence at the originating site.
State Reimbursement Policy
Under state reimbursement policies, the live video, store-and-forward, and remote patient monitoring modalities are considered reimbursable as long as they are medically necessary, subject to certain conditions, and under specific circumstances only.
The state plan does not indicate a specific list of eligible originating sites and does not require another healthcare provider with the patient when a provider renders telemedicine services. Health insurance providers also cannot demand providers to use proprietary applications or specific forms of technology in rendering telemedicine services to be considered eligible for reimbursement.
Aside from the patient’s home, some originating site locations are community service boards, dialysis centers, educational institutions, federally qualified health centers, health department clinics, hospitals, nursing facilities, place of employment, residential treatment centers, and rural health clinics. However, the list of services and provider types eligible for reimbursement is limited.
Providers must indicate in the service documentation that the healthcare service was rendered via telemedicine or telehealth means. For out-of-state providers to be reimbursed, they must be enrolled with the Department of Medical Assistance Services. However, out-of-state nurse practitioners are not included in the telemedicine coverage.
What services are reimbursed in the state of Virginia?
By VA Medicaid:
- Live Video
- Store-and-Forward
- Remote Patient Monitoring
X Stand-alone or combination of Audio-Only, E-mail, Text Message, or Facsimile
Live Video
Services delivered through live video conferencing that are eligible for reimbursement include but are not limited to the following:
- Assessment for residential referrals
- Consultations
- Evaluation
- Individual Psychotherapy
- Interpretation and Reporting of Results
- Obstetric and Gynecological
- Opioid Treatment
- Pharmacological Management
- Psychiatric Diagnostic Interview Examination
- Radiology Procedures
- Specialty Medical Procedures (example: echocardiography and obstetric ultrasound)
- Speech Therapy
In the case of a child located at a school receiving speech-language therapy via audio and video conferencing, an aide must be present with the child during the therapy for originating site billing purposes. Otherwise, the presence of an aide is optional.
Regarding medication-assisted treatment (MAT), the provider may only bill an originating site fee if the Medicaid member patient is duly assisted by telepresence which is also enrolled with Medicaid.
Only psychiatric evaluation in crisis stabilization is considered a covered service and must be delivered in coordination with an outpatient provider. All other services billed under crisis stabilization are not allowed to be rendered via telemedicine.
Store-and-Forward
Some of the services that can be accomplished through the store-and-forward modality and are reimbursable at the same time are:
- Diabetic Retinopathy Screening
- Radiology-related Procedures
- Outpatient Teledermatology
Transmission and facility fees are also included in the reimbursement made by Medicaid.
Remote Patient Monitoring
Electronic transmission of medical data such as vitals from the site of the patient is collected employing digital technologies to the provider’s site. The provider then analyzes, interprets, and gives recommendations for managing the patient’s existing condition based on these collected data. Physiological data usually monitored through this modality are blood glucose, blood pressure, pulse, pulse oximetry, and weight.
The following individuals are the usual subjects for remote patient monitoring services:
- Individuals who have undergone surgery
- Infants and children who have complex medical conditions
- Patients with chronic health conditions such as anticoagulation treatment, cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, diabetes, and pulmonary diseases
- Pregnant women who are considered high risk
- Transplant patients
For patients who have undergone surgery, RPM services availed by them are reimbursable up to three months from the date of surgery. For patients with chronic health conditions, at least two hospitalizations or trips to the emergency room within the immediately preceding twelve months is required before RPM services rendered to them can be considered reimbursable.
By Private Payer or other healthcare service plan providers:
- Live Video
- Store-and-Forward
- Remote Patient Monitoring
X Stand-alone or combination of Audio-Only, E-mail, Text Message, or Facsimile
Plan providers cannot exclude telemedicine services from being covered and reimbursed. However, for telemedicine services to be given coverage, they must be medically appropriate and rendered to the full extent possible.
There is no explicit payment parity law in Virginia, but a service parity law exists. This means that healthcare service plan providers must reimburse telemedicine services such as consultation, diagnosis, and treatment on the same basis and extent as in-person services are reimbursed.
Technical fees and costs for the delivery of telemedicine services are excluded from the mandatory coverage, and the insurance provider has the discretion of whether to add them or not in the reimbursement.
Who can avail of these reimbursements?
All healthcare providers can render medical services through telehealth or telemedicine, but the Department of Medical Assistance Services lists only a few practitioners and facilities as eligible for reimbursement for services delivered through these modalities. These are:
- Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Clinical Psychologists
- Clinical Social Worker
- Federally Qualified Health Center Providers
- Licensed Behavioral and Developmental Services Providers who are enrolled with Magellan
- Local Education Agency
- Marriage and Family Therapists
- Mental Health-Intellectual Disability Provider
- Nurse-Midwives
- Nurse Practitioners
- Physicians
- Professional Counselors
- Psychiatric Clinical Nurse Specialists
- Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners
- Psychiatrists
- School Psychologists
- Substance Abuse Treatment Practitioner
Public Health Emergency (PHE)
To avoid difficulties and delays in the delivery of medical services to Virginia residents, the state government has released guidelines and offered flexibilities to telemedicine providers during the existence of the public health emergency in the state. The government has deemed it necessary to address the increased demand for the health professional workforce. Some of these temporary rules and regulations that are especially applicable to telemedicine practice are as follows:
- Out-of-state healthcare providers are given authority to practice within the state boundaries of Virginia and offer their services, especially through telehealth and telemedicine, with their established patients who are residents of the Commonwealth. Any license issued by another state to a practitioner who is in good standing is considered an equivalent of a Commonwealth-issued license to practice medicine subject to the same limitations and scope of practice.
- Physician assistants who have at least two years of clinical experience are currently allowed to render services despite a practice agreement. Other practitioners whose restrictions have been relaxed include nurse practitioners, interns, fellows, residents, and even senior medical students.
- Practitioners from adjoining states need not apply for a Commonwealth license if they offer medical advice or medically-related information via telehealth to patients located in Virginia.
- The limitations for modalities to be used for telemedicine are also relaxed, and any non-public facing audio or remote communication application can be used for such services.
The effectivity period of the rules listed above has been extended to cater to the medical needs of its residents until the state of emergency in Virginia ends.
10 Top-rated Online Doctors and Telemedicine Providers in Virginia
The waiting period for an in-office doctor’s appointment in the State of Virginia, as with other states in the country, can range from weeks to months before one can receive medical attention. With healthcare providers expanding their practice into telemedicine, the wait time in this platform is significantly reduced to days or even hours. If you are in Virginia and are looking for an online doctor to accommodate you and your health concerns, you can check out the list of the best Virginia telemedicine providers below:
Patient First
- Prescription
- HIPAA Compliant
- Board Certified Physicians and Specialists
- Insurance
With Patient First Telehealth services, you don’t need to book an appointment. You only need to register and wait a while to see a doctor virtually. Their online providers accommodate patients who are 12 years and older. Patients 12 to 17 years must be accompanied by their parent or guardian for the entire duration of the televisit.
Common conditions treated via their telehealth services include:
- Achy joints
- Back pain
- Body aches
- Chest congestion
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Ear pain
- Fever
- Food poisoning
- Headaches
- Itching
- Nasal Congestion
- Neck pain
- Rashes
- Skin infection
- Sore throat
- Stomach cramps
- Stuffy nose
- Urinary issues
- Vomiting
If you have work injuries or other employer-related services, Patient First Telehealth will not be able to accommodate you. Patients with animal bites, burns, eye trauma, lacerations, puncture wounds, animal scratches, and other illnesses that cannot be appropriately attended to via telemedicine modalities will be referred to the nearest Patient First facility or Emergency Room.
Opioids, along with other similar medications, are not prescribed on telehealth visits. Instead, an in-person examination and consultation are required by Patient First before they prescribe these types of drugs. They also do not issue prescription refills for any medications not originally prescribed by one of their providers.
Location/City Served: Richmond
Virginia Physicians, Inc.
- Prescription
- HIPAA Compliant
- Board Certified Primary Care Doctors, Rheumatologists, and Registered Dietitians
- Insurance
Availability of online appointments depends on the provider you want to see. You can confirm this by calling your physician’s office. Their doctors have been taking care of Virginia families’ medical needs for generations, from common illnesses to complex ones, including those that need monitoring such as diabetes and nutrition management.
If the online provider determines that he or she cannot treat you during the televisit and that you need to be seen by a doctor in-office, he or she can help you book an appointment with a practitioner or specialist near you.
The platform utilized by Virginia Physicians, Inc. is Healow which can be downloaded on the App Store or Google Play. The app allows you to handle your health records, book an appointment, manage your medications, virtually talk with your doctor, and access health and fitness trackers.
Patients can also access online healthcare information through their website, such as laboratory test educational materials. This can be helpful to patients who online providers for further testing orders. They also offer language assistance in more than 15 languages, including Spanish, French, Dutch, Tagalog, and Portuguese.
Locations/Cities Served:
- Powhatan
- Ashland
- Glen Allen
- Mechanicsville
- Richmond
- Mechanicsville
- Midlothian
UVAHealth
- Prescription
- HIPAA Compliant
- Board Certified Physicians
- Insurance
Established and UVAHealth accommodates new patients in the telemedicine services they offer. If you require urgent care from UVA physicians, they also offer this type of service. The patient must take his or her vitals and prepare all medications he or she is taking before the virtual urgent care appointment.
If you are in moderate pain or are experiencing any of the following illnesses, one of their providers would be able to see you virtually:
- Abrasions, insect bites, rashes, small cuts
- Allergies, ear pain, runny nose, sinus pain, sore throat
- Body aches, cough, fever
- Bone or joint pain not caused by a major injury
- Burning sensation when you urinate, other urinary complaints
- Diarrhea, nausea, upset stomach
UVAHealth also provides medication refills, but in some medical cases, the provider first requires a virtual visit before he or she will issue a refill to the patient.
Healthcare practitioners at UVAHealth will be the ones to determine whether a virtual visit will work for your medical concern or if an in-person consultation is necessary. Patients can check with their providers by phone, MyChart, or through an online appointment form. If you need language services, you can inquire about availability upon scheduling.
Location/City Served: Charlottesville
Optimum Care
- Prescription
- HIPAA Compliant
- Board Certified Physicians
- Insurance
Optimum Care has its patient’s convenience in mind when delivering telemedicine healthcare services. They strongly suggest that patients book telemedicine appointments instead of in-office consultations for minor medical conditions that do not require a physical examination. This does not only favor the patient as it also gives their providers more time to give attention to on-site patients that may require much-needed medical care.
They offer services and are available for video visits are medical follow-up care, minor urgent care, medication management, and adjustment. You can request an appointment either directly with your physician’s office or through their website. In addition, some of their areas of specialization include cosmetic treatments, immigration services, occupational medicine, primary care, and weight management. Although these are not all available for telemedicine, you can ask your online provider to lay down the processes and options you may have.
Their physical location in Garrisonville Road, Stafford, Virginia, has an on-site pharmacy, laboratories that conduct medical tests, X-ray services, and DOT physical exams. If ever the need arises and you are near the area, these services can be pre-booked during a video visit.
Patients who have availed of their services commend the practitioners’ professionalism and the staff’s pleasant and accommodating personalities.
Location/City Served: Stafford
Centra
- Prescription
- HIPAA Compliant
- Board Certified Physicians and Specialists
- Insurance
Centra has a wide array of specialists whom you can consult with and can give you treatment for almost all types of illnesses and diseases. They have cardiologists, pediatricians, obstetrics-gynecologists, psychiatrists, nutritionists, therapists, urologists, and sleep, medicine doctors. You can seek medical advice from these specialists through telemedicine modalities. They also offer a 24/7 online urgent care service.
Some of the symptoms and conditions they treat through their 24/7 urgent care services are:
- Allergies
- Cold
- Cough
- Diarrhea
- Headache
- Fever
- Flu
- Pink Eye
- Rash
- Sinus infection
- Sore throat
- Urinary Tract Infection
- Vomiting
They have facilities all over the state of Virginia that have psychiatric units, autism and developmental centers, and adult day centers, so referrals would be easy and can be done during virtual visits.
They have other easy-access resources such as CentraScripts, which issues prescriptions for your medication needs, and HealthyU, allowing patients to access their health records and manage their health information online.
Patients can access their services through their website or download the Centra 24/7 app on Google Play or App Store. They also offer language assistance just in case English is not your primary language.
Location/City Served: Lynchburg
Virginia Eye Institute
- Prescription
- HIPAA Compliant
- Board Certified Ophthalmologists and Optometrists
- Insurance
VEI has recently opened a Hearing Center. They are no longer limited to treating eye problems but have expanded to provide testing and hearing services for their patients. Patients may opt for a video appointment or telephone-only consultation, but the appropriateness of the modality is to be determined by the provider.
Since not all conditions can be accommodated via telemedicine, VEI has provided this list of ailments that can be treated virtually:
- Botox consultation
- Conjunctivitis or pink eye
- Dermal fillers consultation
- Double vision
- Dry eye
- Hearing loss
- Itchy eyes
- Premium IOL consultation
- Red eyes
- Stye
Pre-operation check-ups and post-operation follow-ups along with routine check-ins can also be conducted via telemedicine. Thus, patients can expect the same quality and use of clinical tools as they would receive in actual face-to-face visits.
If the patient is a child, VEI requires that the parents or guardians conduct a basic eye test following the guide provided by the American Academy of Ophthalmology before the telemedicine visit. All patients below 18 years old must be accompanied by an adult during the virtual consultation.
For video consultations, the application utilized by VEI is Google Duo, so patients need Google Play or the App Store before their scheduled appointment.
Locations/Cities Served:
- Richmond
- Mechanicsville
- Henrico
- Waterside Road Prince George
- Chester
- Midlothian
Virginia Pediatric Group
- Prescription
- HIPAA Compliant
- Board-Certified Pediatricians
- Insurance
Video conferencing and phone calls are the modalities utilized by the Virginia Pediatric Group to deliver routine health checks and sick visits to their patients. Televisit bookings can be done through Zocdoc, and the platform they use for their virtual appointments is Anytime Pediatrics.
When your appointment is confirmed, a medical assistant will help you properly measure your child’s height and weight and note any relevant medical history and health information. This way, during your actual appointment with the pediatrician, you can proceed with discussing the medical concern and needs of your child.
They accommodate children ages three and older who are exhibiting symptoms of minor illnesses such as:
- Allergies
- Acne
- Colds
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Eczema
- Flu
- Food and nutrition issues
- Minor cuts
- Pink eye
- Rashes
- Skin conditions
- Vomiting
If you have food and nutrition issues or breastfeeding and lactation concerns, one of the VAPG providers can discuss these topics with you via telemedicine. Although they do behavioral health follow-ups through video conferencing, parents must still bring their child to the doctor’s office for the initial consultation. Other telehealth services they offer include prenatal check-ups, well-child visits, and review of diagnostic tests and X-rays.
Their telemedicine services are available to Virginian residents of Aldie, Fairfax, Great Falls, and Herndon.
Locations/Cities Served:
- Fairfax
- Herndon
- Great Falls
- Aldie
DermVA
- Prescription
- HIPAA Compliant
- Board Certified Dermatologists
- Insurance
Dermatology Associates of Virginia observes a comprehensive approach in tackling their patient’s skin problems. They consider all aspects of a person’s health that can impact the subject’s dermatological issue.
Personalized face-to-face visits can now be conducted through video conferencing via doxy.me for the following skin problems and follow-ups:
DermVA dermatologists would appreciate it if you would take a photo of the area of your skin subject of your medical concern so that they can have a clearer view and opportunity to examine it closer.
They also issue e-prescriptions, and medication refills directly to your chosen pharmacy when it is appropriate. If your online provider decides that you need to continue your consultation in-office or that it is medically necessary to undergo tests such as a biopsy, they will schedule them for you.
Patients can track their and manage their information and visit history through the FollowMyHealth patient portal, which can be opened through the app available on both Google Play and App Store. In addition, resources and blog articles that discuss different skin conditions, skincare regimens, and other useful tips from the National Eczema Association, The Skin Cancer Foundation, National Psoriasis Foundation, and many others can also be accessed on their website.
Locations/Cities Served:
- Richmond
- Glen Allen
- Mechanicsville
Virtual Wellness MD
- Prescription
- HIPAA Compliant
- Board Certified Physician
- Insurance
Virtual Wellness MD is purely a telemedicine medical platform that renders its service in Virginia but does not have a state’s physical location. Their approach to treatment is patient-centered, and they offer a comprehensive care plan tailored to the patient’s physical and mental health needs.
The most common symptoms treated in Virtual Wellness MD are:
- Allergies
- Common cold
- Fever
- Flu
- Headache
- Nausea
- Runny nose
- Sore throat
Areas of concern that Dr. Tiffany C. Turner can help you with are chronic illnesses, mental health, and acute medical issues. She can also help registered patients with their prescription refills after reviewing the medication history and determining the necessity of such refills. You can either have the option to pick it up at the pharmacy nearest you or have it delivered to your location.
If ever laboratory or other tests will be required of you by the online provider, you can then forward the results and schedule another virtual visit for the results to be reviewed and receive an accurate diagnosis and corresponding treatment plan.
To manage your communications and health information, you must register with Rowe Patient Portal. If you need to consult with a doctor or feel that adjustments need to be made on your current medications, their virtual care services can help address these concerns.
Locations/Cities Served: Richmond, South Richmond
Nourish Health and Wellness Psychiatry
- Prescription
- HIPAA Compliant
- Board Certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioners
X Insurance
Nourish Health and Wellness Psychiatry do not only offer medication-assisted treatment, but their providers observe an integrative and holistic approach by including good nutrition, optimal gut health, regular exercise, sleep hygiene, stress management, therapy, and weight management into the equation. Their nutritional psychiatry-trained practitioners can help you improve your eating habits, which greatly affect one’s mental health. This is the main reason behind their name.
The modality of their therapy is individual. No group therapies are offered. Instead, different treatment approaches or schools of thought such as humanistic, Jungian, motivational interviewing, and person-centered are observed in their treatment plans.
They specialize in medication management, women’s issues, and trauma, including post-traumatic stress disorder. Some of the mental health issues they address are:
- Anxiety
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- Bipolar disorder
- Coping skills
- Depressions
- Grief
- Infertility
- Insomnia
- Mood disorders
- Obesity
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
- Stress
- Weight loss
Interested patients can avail of their 15-minute complimentary phone consultation so that they can try the experience for themselves and decide whether it will work for them or not. Currently, they only accommodate adults and elders as they do not have a pediatric specialist.
Location/City Served: Richmond
Telemedicine Resources in Virginia
There are a lot of telemedicine resources that can be easily accessed online. Most of these are general and only cover federal laws in the discussions. Some are not updated and may even cause more confusion than clarity on its readers. Below is a compilation of telemedicine resources in the state of Virginia that contain accurate, reliable, and credible information:
- Appalachian Telemental Health Network: This is a government-sponsored website that aims to connect Virginia residents to telebehavioral health providers. The ATHN also offers resources and training for mental health practitioners such as counselors, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, therapists, and other similar professionals in providing mental health services via telemedicine.
- Commonwealth Connect: For Virginians who do not have a private internet connection at home, this site provides an interactive map of locations in the state with Wi-Fi access. Commonwealth Connect is Virginia’s Broadband Resource powered by various service providers and localities. One simply needs to enter his or her address to find the nearest spot where he or she can go online. This has helped many residents communicate with medical practitioners via telemedicine.
- Virginia Telehealth Network: VTN is a nonprofit membership organization that supports the government’s effort toward furthering telehealth and telemedicine practice in the state by providing resources, educational tools, safety reminders, and innovative programs. There are blog posts and video series on the site that explains various aspects of telehealth and telemedicine.
- Mid-Atlantic Telehealth Resource Center: If you want access to telehealth toolkits and vendor selection toolkit, MATRC can provide you with a comprehensive one that includes discussions on the basic information you need to know, education on technology use, and other related resources. Articles on topics related to telemedicine and telehealth ranging from telebehavioral health, telegenetics, remote patient monitoring, HIPAA, and teleMAT (medication-assisted treatment) are available for both consumers and providers. Other services MATRC offers are technical assistance and help in finding a speaker who is an expert in the field.
- Center for Connected Health Policy – VA: The CCHP is a program of the Public Health Institute that aims to simplify the presentation of all available telehealth resources in the state of Virginia, as well as in other states, by compiling and summarizing the state’s Medicaid program, reimbursement policies, telemedicine laws on the private payer and payment parity, state memberships in licensure compacts, practice requirements, and links to other telehealth resource centers.
