Kura MD Enters Network Agreement with Coventry to be a Provider of Telemedicine Services for Workers' Compensation

    ROSEVILLE, CA, April 24, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Injured workers will now be able to meet with physicians specialized in workers' compensation injuries by phone or video when their employers participate in Coventry's telemedicine program. Coventry is expanding its PPO Network offering to include Telemedicine network partners such as Kura MD. This use of telemedicine will initially be through Coventry's nurse triage service, NT24.

"Employers face rising medical expenses for their workers who can be impacted by inefficient utilization of healthcare resources when seeking care following an injury on the job," said Kevin Hamm, Kura MD's chief executive officer. "Kura MD's goal is to provide injured workers greater access to medical services by offering healthcare via our virtual medical clinic. Individuals with a work related injury can access Kura MD by phone or online via secure video using a smartphone, tablet, or computer 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

According to the AMA more than 70% of injury claims do not require clinical intervention. Unfortunately, without an orchestrated injury triage and care model, overutilization of health services regularly occurs causing delays in access to care, and excess expenses which ultimately translate to higher claim costs for employers. Coventry sees Kura MD's virtual medical clinic as a powerful tool to help manage these costs.

"Kura MD's turnkey employer-based telehealth platform saves time and expense by providing injured workers with immediate access to care, avoiding costly delays and unnecessary emergency room and urgent care visits," said Doug Sumaraga, Kura MD's chief operating officer. Most cases can be resolved via a telemedicine visit without the employee needing an in-office visit," he said.

Through Coventry's 24/7 nurse triage program, when treatment is recommended, the NT24 triage nurses will determine if telemedicine is appropriate for the injured worker and offer the injured worker the option to participate in a virtual visit. Nurse triage programs help eliminate guesswork -- by workers and their supervisors -- in determining appropriate levels of care when treatment is needed. Additionally, independent studies show access to nurses builds trust between injured workers and their employers. That, in turn, shortens recovery times. Telemedicine can further stimulate such trust by offering timely and convenient access to necessary care.

A referral for a secure video consult can be a convenient, speedy and affordable alternative to in-person care, according to Tammy Bradly, Coventry's vice president of clinical products, "A video consult can occur from home, the office, or on the go," she said. "While our nurse triage and onsite programs deliver significant reductions by avoiding unnecessary emergency room visits and expensive care, telemedicine is expected to have an even greater impact on employee satisfaction by providing nearly immediate access to care and reducing time away from work."

This initiative is part of Coventry's move to expand provider access and add convenience for injured workers. Telemedicine services, which are becoming widespread among large U.S. employers, have experienced slower adoption for workers' compensation. Coventry and Kura MD are seeking to change that by leveraging technology and automation to improve healthcare delivery, improve patient outcomes, and reduce workers' compensation claims costs.

Website: https://www.kura.md
Workers' Compensation Video: https://youtu.be/fPPXkw-FJAY
Physician Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sWx5aJA9xAM

About Kura MD
Founded in 2013 based in Roseville, CA, Kura MD is the industry leader offering telehealth for workers' compensation cases. Our primary focus is providing telehealth services to employers for injured workers. Kura MD's physicians provide the full continuum of care including injury triage, full treatment plan coordination, determination of maximum medical improvement, and impairment ratings, when needed. Kura MD also provides general health telehealth physician consultations for non-work related illness or injury. The Kura MD Virtual Medical Clinic is accessible by phone or online using a smartphone, tablet, or computer and is OPEN 24/7/365.

About Coventry
Coventry offers workers' compensation, auto and disability care and cost-management solutions for employers, insurance carriers, and third-party administrators. With roots in both clinical and network services, Coventry leverages more than 30 years of industry experience, knowledge, and data analytics. For more information on going "virtual" with Coventry's Telemedicine Program, please contact [email protected] and visit the Coventry website at www.coventrywcs.com to read our Telemedicine Whitepaper.

Contacts

Dianne Vass
Kura MD
SVP Sales & Marketing
(855) 587-2220 x:126
[email protected]

Barb Robinette
Coventry
VP of Marketing and Communications
(858) 547-2528
[email protected]

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