Cody Regional Health’s Community Emergency Medical Service (CEMS) team is now working directly with providers to offer hands-on virtual healthcare in patient homes.

The partnership with GlobalMed Technologies brings hands-on healthcare to Park County, with hopes to expand to the rest of Northwest Wyoming by 2022.

GlobalMed operates in more than 60 countries and is the same technology used by the White House Medical Team for the president’s virtual healthcare. In a news release, Cody Regional Health officials called GlobalMed the “best in their class.”

They say the new service goes beyond a simple video chat with a physician and toward a fully integrated hands-on experience with healthcare providers from the comfort of a patient’s home. The virtual care solution integrates software and data-capturing medical devices — being able to capture everything from EKGs to ultrasounds to vital signs — to offer evidenced-based care.

“By collaborating with our trained CEMS professionals, the CEMS clinician will be the hands-on care with the healthcare provider being streamed live and in HD quality,” said Andrea McKay, chief ambulatory officer at CRH.

The Cody organization listed a number of patients who could benefit from the new service, including:

• Chronically ill patients who need monitoring or intervention but are unable to go to their healthcare provider’s office.

• Wound care patients who have trouble ambulating, as their wound can be visually assessed by their physician without leaving home.

• Primary care patients who may want to save time and resources by having having a follow-up visit virtually

• Cancer patients who need a post chemotherapy visit without having to return to the office.

• Orthopaedic patients who need a clinical assessment for a post-surgical follow up when travel to the office can be difficult.

“Location ceases to be a limitation with our virtual healthcare solution,” said Cody Regional Health CEO Doug McMillan. “This brings healthcare providers valuable care assessment and coordination to patients who might previously go without treatment.”

McMillan added that the virtual care “can improve outcomes, reduce healthcare costs and increase physician access.”