Advance Medical, the largest physician-based care management program offering employers the ability to provide top-quality, concierge-level medical support to employees, today announced a first-of-its-kind Virtual Medical Home suite of services for patients who are often left lost or confused by the healthcare system.

Under this new initiative, Advance Medical provides board-certified physicians who specialize in serving the unique needs of veterans and transgender individuals as well as patients coping with fertility, oncology, autism/development disorders, or addiction-related diagnoses to serve as case managers. The physicians advise patients and their families on navigating diagnoses, treatment options, and even the complexities of the healthcare bureaucracy in an effort to increase access to the right resources and improve overall care coordination for these complex, critical medical conditions.

Advance Medical’s new Virtual Medical Home program was designed by a team of physicians who are intimately familiar with the special support and advocacy needs of these patients. Unlike traditional medical office visits or support services, the Virtual Medical Home is designed to give physicians the freedom to view participants holistically and interact proactively as patient needs adapt and change.

For more than 15 years, Advance Medical has been the only care management and expert medical opinion program with dedicated physician case managers as well as access to a global network of tens of thousands of doctors who have preeminent expertise in a range of conditions. The Advance Medical healthcare model aims to engage patients in a close relationship with a world-class specialist that enables patients and caregivers to make informed decisions, promote proactive care and improve medical outcomes. For employers, this also often results in reduced corporate healthcare expenses and increased employee productivity.

“Advance Medical’s program actually improves patient care. In 2016, Advance Medical corrected the diagnosis of more than 40 percent of program participants and improved or adjusted treatment plans for 60 percent of participants,” said Medical Director Heather Towery, MD. “Patients are more likely to follow, and stick with, health plans and treatment procedures because they have more confidence in their effectiveness. At the same time, employers are providing an employee-assistance program with significant benefits, and are ensuring that healthcare spending is as effective as possible – just by ensuring that the most appropriate care is being delivered. Nobody wants care that doesn’t work. We consistently see that over a population, the best care is least expensive even in the short-run.”

Advance Medical effectively ensures the optimal medical journey by being there for a patient, step-by-step, and providing services like coordination of face-to-face providers; serving as a single collection point for medical information; and providing forward-looking plans so that participants know what is coming. Advance Medical’s Virtual Medical Home program is designed to help ease the administrative as well as the medical burden, and offer actionable advice to patients.

“Advance Medical offers employees and their families direct access to a unique network of world-class doctors and physician case managers for hands-on advocacy, navigation of health care systems, independent advice, and long-term continuity of care,” said Executive Vice President Mike Hough. “Everyone at Advance Medical is here for the sole purpose of helping people when they are at their most vulnerable. In the midst of a medical crisis, the relationship a participant builds with our doctors helps to provide the information, advocacy and support that a patient needs for the best possible medical and emotional outcomes.”

The specialty patient groups currently covered by Advance Medical’s Virtual Medical Home program include:

  • Transgender – Physician case managers who practice within the Trans community offer patient support as well as coordinate services and health records among treating physicians and insurance providers while helping to ensure that patients receive trans-sensitive care.
  • Autism – Pediatrician case managers provide support to families and answer questions about individual diagnoses and deficits, as well as discuss services provided through school and state resources.
  • Infertility – Reproductive endocrinologist case managers review and evaluate a patient’s treatment options based on the specifics of that patient’s case and history, and provide support and guidance at each step of the process.
  • Oncology – Oncology physician case managers help coordinate care and medical records, and answer questions and concerns about specific types of cancer, treatment options, and other issues for what can be a very confusing and emotionally fraught diagnosis.
  • Maternity –Obstetrician case managers provide ongoing, proactive advocacy and support to help pregnant women and their families focus on a healthy and stress-free pregnancy, while also managing any complications that might arise.
  • Palliative Care – Palliative care specialists provide support and coordination through all transitions to ensure that patients and families have consistent and dignified attention through end-of-life care.
  • Addiction – Physician case managers, specializing in addiction medicine, help patients find safe, effective treatment and guide them through the journey to recovery while also helping to support other family members.
  • Veterans – Physician case managers, who are themselves veterans and are experienced working with the VA and other health plans, help patients navigate the VA health system and ensure that veterans get the continuity of care they need and deserve.

For more information about Advance Medical, visit www.advance-medical.com.

About Advance Medical
Advance Medical is the largest physician-based healthcare management program, offering employers the ability to provide top-quality, concierge-level medical support to employees around the globe via offices in the U.S., Europe, Asia, and South America. Founded in 1999, Advance Medical has emerged as the global leader in expert medical opinions because of its programs executed exclusively by board-certified physicians – doctors who speak by phone with every patient, no matter what the issue or concern and for as much time as necessary, to provide Expertise On Demand. For more information, visit www.advance-medical.com.