Shriners Hospitals for Children — Salt Lake City is now offering the Fast Track Video Visit program via Skype for new and existing patients. The newly available telehealth platform throughout Shriners Hospitals for Children is one of numerous ways the health care system is responding to the coronavirus pandemic. Video visits help to comply with public health and government recommendations, and decrease potential risk of COVID-19 exposure.
Visits are one-on-one through Skype with a Shriners Hospitals for Children provider licensed in the state in which the patient lives. Currently, the video platform is available for a number of appointment types, including new patient consultations, annual check-ups, follow-up appointments and non-emergent fractures.
Many appointments require an X-ray. Appointments requiring an X-ray will need to be conducted on-site or an X-ray will need to be taken prior to the appointment and shared with the provider. X-rays may be taken on-site at Shriners Hospitals for Children — Salt Lake City or at the patient’s chosen facility. All X-rays must be coordinated through the patient’s care manager at Shriners Hospitals for Children, who will provide a script for the X-ray and coordinate sharing the images with the provider so they can review them during the video visit.
Technology requirements for participation in Fast Track Video Visits:
- Mobile device or computer with microphone and camera
- Internet access
- Email
Video visits are available in English, Spanish and other languages with the assistance of a hospital staff interpreter.
The Fast Track Video Visit program is helping to ensure continuity of care and patient safety during the COVID-19 crisis; however, it is not replacing all in-person visits. The hospital remains open to a more limited, prioritized list of patients.
Even after it is deemed safe for patients to return to the hospital for all in-person appointments, video visits will continue. “We’ve found that they are incredibly useful so we will continue to keep them available,” said Kristen L. Carroll, M.D., chief of staff at Shriners Hospitals for Children — Salt Lake City.
To schedule a video visit, call the hospital just like you would when setting up a regular appointment and indicate you would like to schedule a video visit. Please be aware, not all of the orthopaedic specialists at Shriners Hospitals for Children — Salt Lake City are licensed in states outside of Utah. If you live in a surrounding state, you may need to meet with a different specialist for your video visit. When you call to make your video appointment, you may ask at that time if your regular doctor is licensed in your state.
Once your video visit is scheduled, the hospital will electronically send you a consent form to participate in a video visit. Once the completed form is received, you will be sent instructions on how to connect with the hospital using Skype.
Call 801-536-3564 to schedule a video visit today, or to speak to a care manager, call 801-536-3777.
Referring providers are encouraged to continue recommending children for our care during this time. Shriners Hospitals for Children — Salt Lake City is accepting new patient referrals for both in-person and video visits through our toll-free referral line at 800-314-4283, FAX 801-536-3521 or email. Appointments will be scheduled at the soonest available time, with priority given to time-sensitive care, including but not limited to: urgent fracture care, possible bone infections and surgeries or services dependent on a specific period of childhood growth.
Watch a recent step-by-step video from Shriners Healthcare for Children — Florida Chief of Staff Maureen Maciel, M.D.