Story

UF Health begins Virtual Visit telemedicine program in Northeast Florida

Patients connect with physicians via video conference from home

UF Health Jacksonville is now offering telemedicine services to established patients looking for a more convenient way to connect with their physicians and caregivers. Patients now have the ability to talk face-to-face with a provider from the privacy of their home, or on-the-go via computer, tablet or smartphone.

The new program, called UF Health Virtual Visit, is being facilitated by UF Health family medicine physicians, nurse practitioners and physician assistants using a patient’s MyChart (MyUFHealth) account. Patients can also use the MyChart application on their tablets and smart phones. The idea is simple: give patients the opportunity to talk to their doctor without the need to schedule an appointment at a clinic, saving patients valuable time.

“There are times when getting to a physician's office is difficult, whether due to work, transportation or a range of other issues, and this alleviates some of the stress put on patients,” said Nipa Shah, M.D., professor and chair of community health and family medicine at the University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville. “We’ve all been through it, whether for ourselves or a family member. Sometimes it’s extremely difficult to get to an appointment, and this will allow us to connect with patients in a time-effective fashion for them and us.”

Scheduling the appointment and completing the virtual visit are easy and secure using the MyChart account. Currently the service is being offered by nearly half of UF Health Jacksonville’s family medicine providers during normal office hours.

More information on the new service, including how to register and which clinics are offering it, can be found at https://ufhealthjax.org/virtual-visit/.

Featured Faculty

Nipa R. Shah, MD

Nipa R. Shah, MD

Professor
Chair, Department of Community Health and Family Medicine