[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2022\/06\/about-in-home-urgent-care-plus\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2022\/06\/about-in-home-urgent-care-plus\/","headline":"In Home Urgent Care Plus \u2013 Changing the Model of Medical Care","name":"In Home Urgent Care Plus \u2013 Changing the Model of Medical Care","description":"Jordan Zdinak, 26, leads an active, healthy lifestyle, so she wasn\u2019t too concerned when she experienced a sore throat. Then came other symptoms \u2014 body aches, stomach tenderness, and sharp back pain. Jordan and her husband Paul, really started to worry when Jordan suddenly threw up during the night and felt her heart racing. \u201cI […]","datePublished":"2022-06-21","dateModified":"2022-06-21","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/","name":"UPMC","url":"https:\/\/www.upmc.com\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/GettyImages-171631871-scaled.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/06\/GettyImages-171631871-scaled.jpg","height":1366,"width":2048},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2022\/06\/about-in-home-urgent-care-plus\/","about":["Family Health","Living and Wellness"],"wordCount":588,"articleBody":"Jordan Zdinak, 26, leads an active, healthy lifestyle, so she wasn\u2019t too concerned when she experienced a sore throat. Then came other symptoms \u2014 body aches, stomach tenderness, and sharp back pain.Jordan and her husband Paul, really started to worry when Jordan suddenly threw up during the night and felt her heart racing. \u201cI would go from sitting to standing or do a very small task and my heart rate would spike upward. I could feel my heart beating out of my chest,\u201d says Jordan.The couple talked about going to a hospital emergency department (ED), but quickly dismissed that option due to concerns about COVID-19 exposure. They also worried about the longer wait times patients with less severe symptoms may have to receive treatment.Instead, Jordan called UPMC AnywhereCare, a telehealth service offered by UPMC Health Plan. Patients who call in \u2014 from their home, office, or anywhere \u2014 can get a medical evaluation from a medical professional. After discussing her symptoms, the UPMC AnywhereCare contact recommended the In Home Urgent Care Plus program.The In Home Urgent Care Plus program is offered to UPMC Health Plan members who would otherwise need to go to an ED to see a doctor before an office visit is possible. The In Home Urgent Care Plus team includes highly trained paramedics who visit patients in their own home.On arrival, the paramedics conduct a thorough medical assessment, administer a COVID test, and initiate a video visit with a UPMC doctor. They also have equipment to test some bloodwork in the home (some bloodwork is dropped off at the lab after the visit). The team brings other equipment to each home visit, including:A cardiac monitor.IV fluids.Jordan was surprised to learn that paramedics would be at her home in a few hours. They even called ahead with an estimated time of arrival, which was good since Jordan lives in an apartment building with a secure front entrance.\u201cThe paramedics were very professional and made me feel comfortable,\u201d says Jordan. \u201cIt\u2019s a big step to let strangers into your apartment when you’re sick, but everything was clear and straightforward. It was reassuring to hear the paramedics present my case to the doctor, too,\u201d she adds. \u201cI felt so comfortable around them. It was almost like they were friends, coming to do a checkup.\u201dDuring the video call, the UPMC doctor diagnosed Jordan with the flu. The doctor then advised the paramedics to start an IV and prescribed medicines, which they gave to Jordan from the supply that they carry with them.Within hours, Jordan received a notification on her MyUPMC app with the results of her bloodwork and COVID-19 test. Several days later \u2014 after taking her medicine and knowing the COVID test was negative \u2014 Jordan was well enough to return to work.\u201cI think it’s a fantastic service, especially for older individuals who may live alone. I can’t wait to see it grow,\u201d says Jordan.UPMC In Home Urgent Care Plus is changing the paradigm of care. Patients with serious, potential life-threatening symptoms should seek immediate care at the nearest ED. In the ED, those with more serious condition are given priority.For less severe symptoms, patients who reside in Allegheny County and are UPMC Health Plan members, can call their primary care provider or UPMC AnywhereCare first, even after regular office hours. If the In Home Urgent Care Plus program is appropriate, patients can receive prompt medical care in the privacy and safety of their own home."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2022","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2022\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"06","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2022\/\/06\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"In Home Urgent Care Plus \u2013 Changing the Model of Medical Care","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2022\/06\/about-in-home-urgent-care-plus\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]