As a busy mom, Lauren Daniels of Plano is always looking for ways to quickly cross items off her to-do list. When she realized that it was time for flu vaccines, it was difficult to squeeze a doctor’s office appointment in her already busy schedule.
She then learned about a new option on Baylor Scott & White’s mobile app, MyBSWHealth, that allowed her to schedule an appointment for a health care provider to administer vaccines right in her own home.
“Just with all of the different schedules we’re juggling and the busyness of work and being a mom, I loved the idea of someone coming to my house versus having to make yet another appointment in an office,” she says.
Daniels set the appointment, with the option to schedule multiple family members during a single visit. On the appointment day, she received a final reminder that included a link to track the commute of the medical professional to her home, keeping her informed of estimated arrival time or any delays due to traffic. After some paperwork and signatures, the vaccines were delivered, and the care provider was on to the next appointment.
“With our little one running around, our lives are pretty busy right now, and this service just made it super easy and convenient,” said Daniels. “I’ve let my friends know so that they can use the service, too.”
Making the errands of health care easier
Baylor Scott & White launched the in-home vaccine program as its latest on-demand offering through MyBSWHealth. Other features include scheduling digital or in-person appointments, messaging care team members, viewing lab results and refilling prescriptions at Baylor Scott & White pharmacies.
“Just like in other industries, health care consumers now expect more convenient options and better access than ever before,” says Alejandro Arroliga, M.D., chief clinical innovation officer at Baylor Scott & White. “In-person care is available, but sometimes the quickest and easiest way to address minor illness, injuries and preventive care is through our MyBSWHealth app.”
All Texans, whether they have an existing relationship with Baylor Scott & White or not, can download the MyBSWHealth app and access digital care with a Baylor Scott & White provider 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
“Whether it’s 3 a.m. and your child has a fever, or it’s Sunday morning and an unexpected sore throat pops up, Texans now have a more convenient care option,” says Tiffany Berry, M.D., Baylor Scott & White’s vice president of primary care.
It’s also a simple tool for managing the care of multiple family members, adds Berry, who uses the app herself.
“I’m in that sandwich generation, where I’m helping to take care of my parents,” she says. “I am a proxy for all my kids and my parents on the app, so I can make appointments for my parents and see what lab results show. It is just so empowering to be able to save time, energy and money in helping to care for my family and make sure that we’re healthy.”
Once the app has been downloaded and an account has been established, users can select if they want a face-to-face visit with a provider using a camera-enabled device, or if they would rather complete a questionnaire to decide the best course of action and treatment plan. Providers can treat a wide range of problems, from stomach concerns to allergies to a skin rash.
“What I am most proud of is that Baylor Scott & White offers these services with no subscription fee for the app,” says Berry. “We make care available to all Texans, 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the price of a regular office visit. This type of convenience is an important part of our commitment to the communities we serve each and every day.”
In addition to care for unexpected medical needs, “MyBSWHealth can also be a much better option for people who have chronic issues, need a specialty service or just require multiple visits,” Berry says. Common examples include appointments to review lab work, check-ins for patients who have started new medications, and talking with patients struggling with behavioral health concerns.
“Those are perfect conditions to get care through video,” she says. “You don’t have to miss work. You don’t have to have the inconvenience of driving to the clinic and waiting in a waiting room. We want to make care more convenient and help you with your goals — that’s the way health care should be.”
Download MyBSWHealth today to manage your care from anywhere.
Physicians provide clinical services as members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Scott & White Health’s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and do not provide clinical services as employees or agents of those medical centers or Baylor Scott & White Health.