Isn't it frustrating that:
· Your records and lab results are stuffed into paper folders in a filing cabinet at all of the providers you go to?
· Your doctor is hard to see or isn't available when you need him or her?
· You are asked to fill out the same medical history paperwork over and over again?
· You are unknown to a medical care provider in another part of town when your doctor is not available?
We think it is, so we've done something about it for our members! WhiteGlove delivers a high-quality healthcare experience while lowering your out-of-pocket costs. Most regular doctors’ offices do not have the technology in place to keep up with medical records electronically. Therefore they have you fill out the same paperwork at every visit in order to make sure it is up-to-date. But WhiteGlove has made a significant investment in technology that makes them different than most medical care providers. Every WhiteGlove member has their own healthcare portal that is accessible from the web, iPhone, and iPad. So not only is your current medical history available to the WhiteGlove healthcare providers, your medical history, lab results, visit history, Rx medications, allergies, and all of your expenses are all available to you 365 days a year.
Other benefits of using WhiteGlove for your primary care include:
· Access to affordable medical care 365 days a year – Any day of the year, if you need medical care, you can call WhiteGlove and they are available to see you in your home or work from 8am to 8pm. They’ve made medical care convenient and affordable. No hassles, no running around, no high costs.
· Access to your own healthcare portal, 24/7, via the web, iPhone and iPad
· Referrals – Like any other medical care provider, WhiteGlove is able to refer you to a specialist when needed.
With WhiteGlove, we provide systematic, consumer-centric, coordination of medical care where we function as a single source for your primary care needs.
Want to find out more about how WhiteGlove is bringing change and innovation to healthcare? Visit the WhiteGlove House Call Health website at www.whiteglove.com or give them a call at 877-329-8081.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Back To School Time Or As I Like To Call It “You Need It When?!?!”
Back to school. Every year these three simple words cause me to utter four complicated words – “you need it WHEN?!?!” No matter how I try to stay on top of things, I always seem to end up needing a sports physical, a health check or a vaccine (or proof that they already exist) for someone in my family. And I always need it “by Friday”. In the past that has left me scrambling through file folders of documents, trying to fit in a doctor’s appointment, or sitting at the “first-come first-served” clinic.
But not this year. Now we are members of WhiteGlove House Call Health. What does that mean to me? It doesn’t mean I still won’t have a “you need it when?!?!” moment, but it does mean that now I can take care of it at my convenience—no driving, no sitting in a waiting room with sick people, no panic that I won’t find the right form and get it turned in on time!
With WhiteGlove, I can get the necessary sports physical, health check or vaccines, when and where I want. WhiteGlove will come to home or office 7 days a week, 365 days a year, from 8 am til 8 pm. The nurse practitioner can perform the physical and provide vaccines on the spot, in one visit.
How WhiteGlove Works
Once you are a member of WhiteGlove:
· You can request routine care, like a physical or vaccine (via phone, internet or iPad).
· The nurse practitioner will come to you at work or home, 365 days a year, 8am to 8pm, and perform the needed service. For health checks and physicals, the nurse can come within hours of your call. Vaccines do take a little longer because they have to be ordered, but once the vaccine arrives (usually within a few days) the nurse practitioner will still come to your home, at your convenience, to administer it.
· And thereafter, you have secure online access to your information including your medical history, lab results, visit history, shot record and more.
Thank you WhiteGlove. This year back to school is going to be so easy…well, at least, easier!
But not this year. Now we are members of WhiteGlove House Call Health. What does that mean to me? It doesn’t mean I still won’t have a “you need it when?!?!” moment, but it does mean that now I can take care of it at my convenience—no driving, no sitting in a waiting room with sick people, no panic that I won’t find the right form and get it turned in on time!
With WhiteGlove, I can get the necessary sports physical, health check or vaccines, when and where I want. WhiteGlove will come to home or office 7 days a week, 365 days a year, from 8 am til 8 pm. The nurse practitioner can perform the physical and provide vaccines on the spot, in one visit.
How WhiteGlove Works
Once you are a member of WhiteGlove:
· You can request routine care, like a physical or vaccine (via phone, internet or iPad).
· The nurse practitioner will come to you at work or home, 365 days a year, 8am to 8pm, and perform the needed service. For health checks and physicals, the nurse can come within hours of your call. Vaccines do take a little longer because they have to be ordered, but once the vaccine arrives (usually within a few days) the nurse practitioner will still come to your home, at your convenience, to administer it.
· And thereafter, you have secure online access to your information including your medical history, lab results, visit history, shot record and more.
Thank you WhiteGlove. This year back to school is going to be so easy…well, at least, easier!
Monday, August 9, 2010
Flu Season Approaches
Back to school means many things to many people, but one thing it means to everyone is that flu season is starting soon! So along with all the other details that must be attended to at this time of year, add getting your annual flu shot to the list!
For those of you (or your children) who cringe at the idea of a shot, there is an alternative. FluMist is an annual nasal spray vaccine for that offers the same protection from the flu as the traditional shot.
FluMist vs. Flu Shots
In addition to the benefit of not getting a shot, several studies have shown that FluMist may actually provide better protection against the flu than a flu shot. One study from the Journal of Pediatrics concluded, "Live attenuated influenza vaccine was a safe and more effective alternative to inactivated vaccine."
WhiteGlove House Call Health now has a supply of FluMist available to help you get a jump on the approaching flu season. Since school is starting soon - if you act now this could be one less thing to worry about! This seasons' flu vaccine includes H1N1 so you get everything in one dose.
There is a charge for the FluMist, call us (877-329-8081) and we can tell you how much based on your specific membership type.
FluMist Isn’t For Everyone
You should not get FluMist if you are:
· Under 2 years of age
· Or Over 50 years of age.
You should also not get FluMist if you have:
· Asthma or other chronic heart or lung diseases, or kidney failure, diabetes, or illnesses that weaken the immune system
· Chronic underlying medical conditions that may predispose you to severe flu infections
· Are allergic to eggs or to a previous dose of the vaccine
· Or are pregnant.
To read more about who should and should not receive FluMist, refer to the CDC website.
Want the shot, not the spray? Our supply of flu shots will arrive late this month or early next month if you would prefer the shot. We'll let you know when we get them in. As always, WhiteGlove House Call Health will come to your home or office to administer your FluMist or flu shot, 365 days a year, from 8 am to 8 pm.
Note: While most people will just require one dose of FluMist each year, children 2 to 8 years old need two doses at least 4 weeks apart the first year that they get FluMist.
For those of you (or your children) who cringe at the idea of a shot, there is an alternative. FluMist is an annual nasal spray vaccine for that offers the same protection from the flu as the traditional shot.
FluMist vs. Flu Shots
In addition to the benefit of not getting a shot, several studies have shown that FluMist may actually provide better protection against the flu than a flu shot. One study from the Journal of Pediatrics concluded, "Live attenuated influenza vaccine was a safe and more effective alternative to inactivated vaccine."
WhiteGlove House Call Health now has a supply of FluMist available to help you get a jump on the approaching flu season. Since school is starting soon - if you act now this could be one less thing to worry about! This seasons' flu vaccine includes H1N1 so you get everything in one dose.
There is a charge for the FluMist, call us (877-329-8081) and we can tell you how much based on your specific membership type.
FluMist Isn’t For Everyone
You should not get FluMist if you are:
· Under 2 years of age
· Or Over 50 years of age.
You should also not get FluMist if you have:
· Asthma or other chronic heart or lung diseases, or kidney failure, diabetes, or illnesses that weaken the immune system
· Chronic underlying medical conditions that may predispose you to severe flu infections
· Are allergic to eggs or to a previous dose of the vaccine
· Or are pregnant.
To read more about who should and should not receive FluMist, refer to the CDC website.
Want the shot, not the spray? Our supply of flu shots will arrive late this month or early next month if you would prefer the shot. We'll let you know when we get them in. As always, WhiteGlove House Call Health will come to your home or office to administer your FluMist or flu shot, 365 days a year, from 8 am to 8 pm.
Note: While most people will just require one dose of FluMist each year, children 2 to 8 years old need two doses at least 4 weeks apart the first year that they get FluMist.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Healthcare Reform – Good News, Bad News
As the new national health care plan goes into effect, companies and insurers are seeking ways to keep plans affordable. One idea that is being tried in limited markets is offering plans with reduced premiums, but have a narrower selection of doctors and hospitals than the traditional plans. Sort of a throw back to the managed care days of the 1990’s.
These plans will no doubt appeal to smaller businesses that already offer insurance to their employees, but who are being confronted with rapidly increasing premiums. As this type of plan catches on, though, larger companies will certainly gravitate toward them as well. What this will mean for employees is that they will keep their premiums down, but will have very few choices in-network of who they see and where they can go. And to go out-of-network will cost individuals dearly.
How does WhiteGlove House Call Health fit into this equation? Adding WhiteGlove to a company’s benefits plan lowers overall health care spending, which in turn can translate into helping to control rising premiums. WhiteGlove caps costs for routine care, improves employee productivity, reduces absenteeism and helps with the potential morale problems caused by ever tightening health plan restrictions.
How? WhiteGlove is a membership-based routine healthcare provider. A company or health plan pays a membership fee per employee and dependents, and then that employee can use WhiteGlove as often as desired for any routine healthcare needs, at a capped fee of $35 per visit. The visit fee includes medical care that comes to the employee’s home or office, generic prescription medications, a care package of foods, beverages, and over-the-counter remedies.
Healthcare reform is a work in progress. But there are growing pains that are going to be associated with its implementation. WhiteGlove can help to ease that pain.
These plans will no doubt appeal to smaller businesses that already offer insurance to their employees, but who are being confronted with rapidly increasing premiums. As this type of plan catches on, though, larger companies will certainly gravitate toward them as well. What this will mean for employees is that they will keep their premiums down, but will have very few choices in-network of who they see and where they can go. And to go out-of-network will cost individuals dearly.
How does WhiteGlove House Call Health fit into this equation? Adding WhiteGlove to a company’s benefits plan lowers overall health care spending, which in turn can translate into helping to control rising premiums. WhiteGlove caps costs for routine care, improves employee productivity, reduces absenteeism and helps with the potential morale problems caused by ever tightening health plan restrictions.
How? WhiteGlove is a membership-based routine healthcare provider. A company or health plan pays a membership fee per employee and dependents, and then that employee can use WhiteGlove as often as desired for any routine healthcare needs, at a capped fee of $35 per visit. The visit fee includes medical care that comes to the employee’s home or office, generic prescription medications, a care package of foods, beverages, and over-the-counter remedies.
Healthcare reform is a work in progress. But there are growing pains that are going to be associated with its implementation. WhiteGlove can help to ease that pain.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Healthcare Uncertainty
Has your company been forced to move to a high deductible health plan (HDHP) in order to continue to offer, or begin to offer, healthcare to your employees? You are not alone! In 2011, for the first time a majority of U.S. workers are expected to have health insurance deductibles of $400 or more.
Many employers have told us that this causes uncertainty with:
· How much employees will spend on healthcare because now they will pay 100% of their healthcare costs until they reach their deductible. That could man $100s of every doctor visit.
· Employee reaction to the HDHP and how it will impact morale, because they no longer have a co-pay for doctor visits – many will see this as taking a cut in pay.
· The impact to the business – many fear losing key employees because of their ability to offer competitive benefits.
In a May 2010 study of employers, when asked how important specific health care reform goals were to their organization, respondents labeled the following as essential or high priority:
· Containing health care costs (96 percent of respondents).
· Encouraging healthy lifestyles (88 percent).
· Improving the quality of care (75 percent).
What role does WhiteGlove play in these uncertain times? By adding the WhiteGlove service to your company’s healthcare offering, you can be certain that your employees and dependents will spend much less on their healthcare and love the care we bring to them.
WhiteGlove lowers overall spending, caps costs for routine care, improves employee productivity, reduces absenteeism and helps with the potential morale problems caused by having to change your health plan.
WhiteGlove’s Corporate Membership Program is designed to help companies (and their employees) take control of their healthcare costs.
· For fully insured companies: we are able to lower the cost of healthcare for your employees and dependents, increase employee productivity, and improve employee morale.
· For self-funded companies: we are able to lower the cost of healthcare for both the company and your employees/dependents, increase employee productivity, and improve employee morale.
We are certain that WhiteGlove can help your company through these uncertain times! Want to learn more? Visit our website at www.whiteglove.com.
Many employers have told us that this causes uncertainty with:
· How much employees will spend on healthcare because now they will pay 100% of their healthcare costs until they reach their deductible. That could man $100s of every doctor visit.
· Employee reaction to the HDHP and how it will impact morale, because they no longer have a co-pay for doctor visits – many will see this as taking a cut in pay.
· The impact to the business – many fear losing key employees because of their ability to offer competitive benefits.
In a May 2010 study of employers, when asked how important specific health care reform goals were to their organization, respondents labeled the following as essential or high priority:
· Containing health care costs (96 percent of respondents).
· Encouraging healthy lifestyles (88 percent).
· Improving the quality of care (75 percent).
What role does WhiteGlove play in these uncertain times? By adding the WhiteGlove service to your company’s healthcare offering, you can be certain that your employees and dependents will spend much less on their healthcare and love the care we bring to them.
WhiteGlove lowers overall spending, caps costs for routine care, improves employee productivity, reduces absenteeism and helps with the potential morale problems caused by having to change your health plan.
WhiteGlove’s Corporate Membership Program is designed to help companies (and their employees) take control of their healthcare costs.
· For fully insured companies: we are able to lower the cost of healthcare for your employees and dependents, increase employee productivity, and improve employee morale.
· For self-funded companies: we are able to lower the cost of healthcare for both the company and your employees/dependents, increase employee productivity, and improve employee morale.
We are certain that WhiteGlove can help your company through these uncertain times! Want to learn more? Visit our website at www.whiteglove.com.
Friday, May 28, 2010
WhiteGlove Offers More Services Than You Might Think
When one of my friends has a health issue, I often suggest that they call WhiteGlove. The responses I get usually range from “I thought they were just for coughs and colds” to “Do they do that?” My answer is usually “yes!”
Most WhiteGlove members know that they can call for help for a cold or flu and be seen in their home or office by a nurse practitioner within hours of that call. But the scope-of-care offered by WhiteGlove goes way beyond that. It is so broad that I often even have to check the list myself before making the suggestion!
WhiteGlove can see you for dehydration, high blood pressure, back pain, pink eye, migraines, allergies, bronchitis and much more. They can also do screenings including diabetes, hypertension and ischemic heart disease. The list is long, and often surprising. It is also better organized than mine! And that’s just their care for when you aren’t feeling well. WhiteGlove offers well-care services, too. Things like camp and sports physicals, flu shots, vaccinations and all sorts of screenings.
My best suggestion to my friends and family is to always check with WhiteGlove first. You can go onto their website and see a list of services, or you can just call and ask.
And as always with WhiteGlove, you will be seen within hours of your call, at your convenience by a nurse practitioner. In most cases, the nurse practitioner can provide you with any medications you might need. If they don’t have it with them, they’ll make sure they get it to you.
So the next time you’re not feeling well, and think that you might should go see a doctor, take a look at the website at www.whiteglove.com or give them a call at 877-329-8081. You might be pleasantly surprised and save yourself a trip to the doctor.
Most WhiteGlove members know that they can call for help for a cold or flu and be seen in their home or office by a nurse practitioner within hours of that call. But the scope-of-care offered by WhiteGlove goes way beyond that. It is so broad that I often even have to check the list myself before making the suggestion!
WhiteGlove can see you for dehydration, high blood pressure, back pain, pink eye, migraines, allergies, bronchitis and much more. They can also do screenings including diabetes, hypertension and ischemic heart disease. The list is long, and often surprising. It is also better organized than mine! And that’s just their care for when you aren’t feeling well. WhiteGlove offers well-care services, too. Things like camp and sports physicals, flu shots, vaccinations and all sorts of screenings.
My best suggestion to my friends and family is to always check with WhiteGlove first. You can go onto their website and see a list of services, or you can just call and ask.
And as always with WhiteGlove, you will be seen within hours of your call, at your convenience by a nurse practitioner. In most cases, the nurse practitioner can provide you with any medications you might need. If they don’t have it with them, they’ll make sure they get it to you.
So the next time you’re not feeling well, and think that you might should go see a doctor, take a look at the website at www.whiteglove.com or give them a call at 877-329-8081. You might be pleasantly surprised and save yourself a trip to the doctor.
Friday, May 7, 2010
WhiteGlove House Call Health – A First Hand Account Of The Experience
The Decision
I was sick. It started with a sore throat, and then moved on to chest congestion and had ended up with an unending cough. I was making a trip to Dallas in a few days and kept thinking, “Tomorrow I’ll feel better. It’s just allergies.” Finally, the day before I needed to leave for my trip, I threw in the towel and admitted to myself that I wasn’t getting any better. I knew there was pertussis at my daughter’s school, and so that was a nagging thought in the back of my mind. My other main thought was that I was leaving town tomorrow and I needed to get work done today! I didn’t really have time to do the whole “beg-to-get-in-to-see-a-doctor, wait-in-the-office, run-get-my-prescription-filled” thing.
Because we have Aetna for our insurance, and because we live in a WhiteGlove House Call Health service area, I knew we were automatically members. So I logged onto www.whiteglove.com to schedule a visit. Since I work out of the house, I didn’t have to bother with the decision of whether I should stay home or meet them at work. But it is nice to know WhiteGlove will go to either place.
At 8:30 a.m. I requested an appointment through the online system. At 8:45 a.m. I got a call from Stacy in WhiteGlove’s membership support and set a visit for 11 a.m. Perfect. That gave me time to straighten my house and brush my teeth. (One advantage of having them come to your office is that you don’t feel compelled to clean up for them.) I also managed to get in some work.
After the call, I also got a follow-up email to confirm my visit time. The neurotic, sleep-deprived part of me really appreciated that attention to detail.
The Visit
My nurse practitioner, Melinda, showed up promptly at 11 a.m. She very professionally and pleasantly introduced herself and asked for my ID. We set up on my kitchen table. Melinda went over my medical history, including the medications I take. (You can’t ever escape that step!) The nice thing about being at home and doing that medications information is that I could just grab my bottles and show them to her! I didn’t have to search my memory for names and amounts.
Melinda asked about my symptoms and worked through all the details of my illness. She then performed a physical exam—blood pressure, ears, nose throat, lungs, and temperature. When she was done, she gave me a thorough explanation of my diagnosis, (not pertussis!) answering questions and reviewing treatment options.
.jpg)
Melinda prescribed some medication, and then excused herself to go out to her car. She returned in a few minutes with the medication in hand! She then also gave me a “get well kit”. It was a wonderful assortment of cough drops, Tylenol and Kleenex, all very needed and welcome. Plus some feel better food items like soup, crackers, ginger ale and jello. I felt like my mom had dropped by to take care of me!
She gave me some written end-of-visit instructions. She explained that my co-pay would be put onto my credit card that I had input when I registered with WhiteGlove and so there was no payment and no additional paperwork required at that time. Then, as efficiently as she arrived, Melinda left. I was sad to see her go (keep in mind that I work at home alone all day), but really excited that I didn’t have to drive to the store to fill my prescription! It was 11:40 a.m.
The Follow-up
The next day, I went to Dallas. I missed my follow-up phone call from WhiteGlove, but my husband assured them I was well enough to travel. An even more comforting thought was the knowledge that if I did not feel better, I could call WhiteGlove in Dallas and they would come to my hotel. When you are a member of WhiteGlove, you are a member in all their service areas, not just your home.
Will I call WhiteGlove House Call Health again? In a heartbeat! Do I recommend it to all my friends? Every day!
Tips:
DO fill out your registration on a day when you feel good and have some free time. You’ll be glad you did when you wake up sick and can simply log on or call and request a visit!
DO have some ID ready when the nurse practitioner arrives. They ask for ID to make sure you are who you say you are. That seems pretty reasonable!
DON’T feel like you have to clean the house for the nurse practitioner. They won’t judge you, you’re sick!
DON’T think you have to have Aetna, Humana or UnitedHealthcare to use WhiteGlove House Call Health. Anyone can become a member.
I was sick. It started with a sore throat, and then moved on to chest congestion and had ended up with an unending cough. I was making a trip to Dallas in a few days and kept thinking, “Tomorrow I’ll feel better. It’s just allergies.” Finally, the day before I needed to leave for my trip, I threw in the towel and admitted to myself that I wasn’t getting any better. I knew there was pertussis at my daughter’s school, and so that was a nagging thought in the back of my mind. My other main thought was that I was leaving town tomorrow and I needed to get work done today! I didn’t really have time to do the whole “beg-to-get-in-to-see-a-doctor, wait-in-the-office, run-get-my-prescription-filled” thing.
Because we have Aetna for our insurance, and because we live in a WhiteGlove House Call Health service area, I knew we were automatically members. So I logged onto www.whiteglove.com to schedule a visit. Since I work out of the house, I didn’t have to bother with the decision of whether I should stay home or meet them at work. But it is nice to know WhiteGlove will go to either place.
At 8:30 a.m. I requested an appointment through the online system. At 8:45 a.m. I got a call from Stacy in WhiteGlove’s membership support and set a visit for 11 a.m. Perfect. That gave me time to straighten my house and brush my teeth. (One advantage of having them come to your office is that you don’t feel compelled to clean up for them.) I also managed to get in some work.
After the call, I also got a follow-up email to confirm my visit time. The neurotic, sleep-deprived part of me really appreciated that attention to detail.
The Visit
My nurse practitioner, Melinda, showed up promptly at 11 a.m. She very professionally and pleasantly introduced herself and asked for my ID. We set up on my kitchen table. Melinda went over my medical history, including the medications I take. (You can’t ever escape that step!) The nice thing about being at home and doing that medications information is that I could just grab my bottles and show them to her! I didn’t have to search my memory for names and amounts.
Melinda asked about my symptoms and worked through all the details of my illness. She then performed a physical exam—blood pressure, ears, nose throat, lungs, and temperature. When she was done, she gave me a thorough explanation of my diagnosis, (not pertussis!) answering questions and reviewing treatment options.
.jpg)
Melinda prescribed some medication, and then excused herself to go out to her car. She returned in a few minutes with the medication in hand! She then also gave me a “get well kit”. It was a wonderful assortment of cough drops, Tylenol and Kleenex, all very needed and welcome. Plus some feel better food items like soup, crackers, ginger ale and jello. I felt like my mom had dropped by to take care of me!
She gave me some written end-of-visit instructions. She explained that my co-pay would be put onto my credit card that I had input when I registered with WhiteGlove and so there was no payment and no additional paperwork required at that time. Then, as efficiently as she arrived, Melinda left. I was sad to see her go (keep in mind that I work at home alone all day), but really excited that I didn’t have to drive to the store to fill my prescription! It was 11:40 a.m.
The Follow-up
The next day, I went to Dallas. I missed my follow-up phone call from WhiteGlove, but my husband assured them I was well enough to travel. An even more comforting thought was the knowledge that if I did not feel better, I could call WhiteGlove in Dallas and they would come to my hotel. When you are a member of WhiteGlove, you are a member in all their service areas, not just your home.
Will I call WhiteGlove House Call Health again? In a heartbeat! Do I recommend it to all my friends? Every day!
Tips:
DO fill out your registration on a day when you feel good and have some free time. You’ll be glad you did when you wake up sick and can simply log on or call and request a visit!
DO have some ID ready when the nurse practitioner arrives. They ask for ID to make sure you are who you say you are. That seems pretty reasonable!
DON’T feel like you have to clean the house for the nurse practitioner. They won’t judge you, you’re sick!
DON’T think you have to have Aetna, Humana or UnitedHealthcare to use WhiteGlove House Call Health. Anyone can become a member.
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