There are countless benefits to working at the College of Charleston – and now there’s one more! CofC staff and faculty who have the State Health Plan are now able to access free virtual care from the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC).
MUSC and the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA) have joined forces to improve health care access and reduce health care costs by offering free MUSC Health Virtual Care to South Carolina state employees and their dependents. This telehealth option allows State Health Plan members, including Medicare-primary members, free access to both non-video and video visits from the comfort of their own homes.
“We know how hard it can be to take time away from work to address urgent health issues, and when care is hard to access, takes too long or is too expensive, a patient may wait to address an issue until its much worse or harder to deal with,” said Patrick Cawley, CEO of MUSC Health. “That’s not good for patients, their families, their employers or the long-term health and wellness of our state. I’m very excited that PEBA has partnered with us on improving access to effective and efficient care, and these state employees will, in turn, benefit from the quality, expertise and convenience that comes from being connected to one of only two telehealth centers of excellence in the nation.”
MUSC Health Virtual Care is an easy way to be treated for common conditions through online, non-video interviews and video interviews. It can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, and visits take 5–15 minutes to complete. No appointment is needed.
Local, licensed, board-certified MUSC Health providers will review the symptoms, make a diagnosis and develop a treatment plan. Providers will respond between 8 a.m. and midnight, and the average response time is less than an hour during those times. In cases where the provider needs more information to diagnose, they may ask for a photo or a quick video interview.
MUSC Health Virtual Care covers more than 40 health issues, and if a health concern can’t be addressed through the service, patients are directed to their primary care provider or an urgent care clinic.
The online-care platform works on all devices and all browsers except Internet Explorer, and data lines are secure and HIPAA compliant. Visits for minor children must be completed by a parent.
To start a visit or for more information, visit the MUSC Health Virtual Care website. A hotline for questions and concerns is also available 24/7: 843.261.5940.
