HomeWhat's New AAFP’s TransforMED and Medfusion Partner to Improve Access for Patients

AAFP’s TransforMED and Medfusion Partner to Improve Access for Patients

04/02/2007

Medfusion provides Virtual Office Visits and secure, online self-service ?capabilities to TransforMED's pilot practices

RALEIGH, N.C. -- The American Academy of Family Physicians' practice redesign initiative, TransforMED is working with Medfusion to provide the 36 medical practices participating in the TransforMED National Demonstration Project with Web sites featuring secure patient-physician communications. These practices will leverage Web-based technology to improve patient access and satisfaction, and increase practice productivity and efficiency. Medfusion is the nation's leading provider of physician Web sites and secure patient-to-physician communication applications.

Each participating practice will receive content management solutions that allow them to create a robust, yet easy to maintain Web site. Each Web site will contain information about the practice and its physicians, as well as imbedded access to all of the patient education materials on familydoctor.org, the AAFP's award-winning consumer Web site. Additionally, a variety of patient self-service features allow for secure, efficient communication with the practice. Features include pre-registration, bill payment, appointment requests, lab results reporting and prescription renewal requests.

Most importantly, participating practices will be able to provide Virtual Office Visit online consultations to patients. This technology allows established patients to answer a series of pertinent questions for minor acuity, non-emergent health conditions and receive treatment advice online without having to physically travel to their physician's office. A growing number of insurance plans nationwide are starting to offer reimbursement for these online interactions.

Patients also will have the option to become more active participants in their care with the goal of improving patient access to medical data through the patient-managed "Personal Health Record."

Medfusion can facilitate access to existing information with integration to practices' current software applications, including electronic health records systems.

"TransforMED looks forward to working with Medfusion to impact the future of family medicine," said Terry McGeeney, M.D., chief executive officer of TransforMED. "Bringing physician practices self-service portals that already predominate in other industries will undoubtedly increase patient satisfaction while providing physicians with new revenue opportunities."

"As the health care industry and the general population move toward more electronic communication, we are pleased TransforMED is recommending the use of Medfusion's modern health technology in family medicine practices across the country," said Medfusion Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Malik.

Medfusion is committed to the basic principles of affordability, compatibility, interoperability, and data stewardship, which guide the AAFP's Partners for Patients initiative dedicated to increasing the availability and use of low-cost, standards-based information technology among family physicians.

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About Medfusion, Inc.

Medfusion is the nation's leading provider of physician Web sites incorporating patient and physician communication portal solutions. Medfusion solutions help physician offices and patients easily interact via the Internet or telephone to improve efficiency and enhance convenience while generating revenue for physicians. Over 4,500 AAFP member physicians worldwide use Medfusion's award winning physician practice web sites to reduce phone calls while bringing efficiency to the response and documentation of patient and referring provider communications. For more information, visit www.medfusion.net

About TransforMED

The Leawood, Kan.-based TransforMED LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the American Academy of Family Physicians. Established in 2005, TransforMED provides ongoing consultation and support to physicians looking to transform their practices to a new model of care that is based on the concept of a patient-centered medical home. TransforMED is an active member of primary care communities and recognizes and supports the unique value that primary care offers to patients and the health care system. TransforMED shares and supports the idealism and altruism of primary care physicians and the strong commitment to their communities and patients through continuing patient relationships and independent decision making. TransforMED offers practices both products and services, including consultation and advice on implementing the patient centered medical home model. To learn more about TransforMED, visit www.transformed.com.