CAREnQ Signs A Strategic Partnership To Create 1st Call VirtualDoc Service

ANN ARBOR, Mich., June 7, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- CAREnQ announced today its partnership with 1^st Call Home Healthcare to create 1^st Call VirtualDoc, a telemedicine program servicing home care patients. Users in the state of Michigan can consult with a local, board-certified emergency physician through a 2-way video from home, work, or assisted living facilities.

"As home care agency owners with 20 years' experience as professional firefighter/paramedics, we are far too familiar with preventable ambulance transports and re-hospitalizations," Bob Mlynarek, CMO and co-founder of 1^st Call Home Healthcare said. "Unless it is a true 911 emergency, a trip to the ER puts undue strain on the patient, the patient's family, and the 911 system."

1^st Call VirtualDoc is a service of 1^st Call Home Healthcare with CAREnQ providing the platform and physicians for the consultations. Trained facilitators can help home care patients connect to a provider from the comfort of their home, ensuring early access to acute care before they become sick enough to need an emergency center or hospitalization. 1^st Call VirtualDoc will be able to treat common ailments such as respiratory infection, allergies, urinary tract infections, cold/flu symptoms, minor injury, and wound evaluations.

"We are extremely excited to use emergency physician expertise to deliver the right care, at the right time, and in the right place for home healthcare patients," Dr. Michael Baker, FACEP, CEO and co-founder of CAREnQ, said. "Teaming up on this innovative program will help us deliver better care, lower costs, and improve access to healthcare." CAREnQ has a patient satisfaction rate of 97 percent – among the highest in the industry – and up to two out of every three virtual visits have prevented a trip to the emergency center or urgent care.

Innovation is the key to providing medical care at home. The CAREnQ and 1^st Call partnership brings the emergency physician to the patient, lowering costs, helping seniors live safely at home, and providing caregivers peace of mind. 

About 1^st Call Home Healthcare
Entering the fire service in the late 1990s, 1^st Call owners Mike Barnhard, Jason Groth, and Bob Mlynarek have firsthand experience in helping seniors. They started a non-medical home care company (Preferred Care at Home) in 2010 serving over 700 clients since its inception. In 2015, they expanded into the skilled home care arena with 1^st Call Home Healthcare, a Medicare certified agency. http://3firefighters.com

About CAREnQ
CAREnQ connects patients with board certified physicians to provide a convenient, high quality and affordable telemedicine experience. CAREnQ offers online urgent care e-visits, emergency e-consults, and facilitated consults. www.CAREnQ.com

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SOURCE CAREnQ