Amwell Medical Group®
Frequently asked questions
Get answers to frequently asked questions about creating an online practice and practicing virtual care.
Using telehealth
The set time for an urgent care visit begins with the 10-minute time limit, but a provider can extend the visit an extra 10 minutes if necessary. Most visits (facetime with the patient) typically last somewhere between 7 and 10 minutes.
You’ll just need one of the following:
- A computer with an internal or external camera. You can use a wide range of web browsers such as Chrome, Explorer or Firefox.
- An iPhone or iPad with the camera enabled and our provider app downloaded. We recommend using a stand for your phone or iPad during visits to keep the camera stable.
Many aspects of the in-person physical exam can also be done remotely. You will be able to visually assess the patient, and can accurately gauge general distress, skin tone, clarity of thought and speech, respiratory rate, work of breathing, gait, etc. You can also have the patient assist in the physical exam, following your instructions to palpate areas of tenderness, assess ROM, assist in moving the camera to visualize areas such as the oropharynx, and assist in abdominal self-exams. In conjunction with a thorough history, many providers feel that the information they can obtain from a video visit is sufficient for accurate diagnosis of many conditions.
Patients access our physicians directly through Amwell or receive benefits by an employer or insurance provider that is contracted with AMG. All billing and payment from patients are dealt with administratively and are not the responsibility of the provider.
Patients come in through our Amwell patient platform seeking care. On Amwell, they can browse services by specialty or practice name and will only see services from providers licensed in their state. Through our health plan and employer partnerships, as well as our own direct-to-consumer marketing efforts, we have a robust patient base you can offer services to.
Amwell Medical Group providers also see patients on our partner platforms, including major health systems and hospitals nationwide.
All providers have access to video-based training as well as 1:1 training sessions with a member of our team. Training includes an overview of the Amwell platform and telehealth best practices. Amwell Medical Group providers must complete training and pass a final assessment to see patients.
AMG’s Clinical Quality Assurance team works with our providers to develop policies, guidelines and protocols. In addition, QA reviews visits and associated documentation, and provides supplemental training and feedback.
The NOC and medical leadership are available to assist at any time of day. Physicians will also be trained on procedures to connect a patient with emergency care in their area.
When providers are on the system, they’ll have access to our Network Operations Center (NOC), a 24/7 support team for any physician on the system. The NOC has been trained to assist with anything from technology issues to scheduling.
In order to be successful in telehealth, there is a certain level of technological skills that each provider should possess:
- High comfort level navigating new software and different web browsers
- An ability to maneuver an iPad or iPhone including app installation and utilization
You can take an appointment from any private location. Keep in mind that you cannot take an appointment with anyone else in the room with you. To ensure patient privacy, we recommend taking appointments from your home or office with the door closed.
Patients will be able to focus on you better if the environment behind you is a light solid color, clean, simple and not distracting. A light blue backdrop is preferable for the optimal video experience. Position yourself in front of a blank wall instead of a wall full of bookshelves.
The Amwell| Medical Group (AMG) is a physician-owned and operated medical practice. We service our payer health plan, health system and employer group patients via American Well's state-of-the-art, HIPAA compliant, video-based platform. Our urgent care offering is staffed by board certified family and emergency medicine physicians, internists and pediatricians. Recently, the offering was expanded to include nurse practitioners as well. In addition to urgent care, AMG also manages a national behavioral health practice, which includes therapy and psychiatry, as well as a nutrition practice staffed by registered dieticians. We practice across all 50 states - 24 hours/day, 365 days/year. Our providers are both single- and multi-state licensed and credentialed to work with our client referrals across the country.
Our patients typically have acute care needs that don’t require a trip to the Emergency room. Some examples of the conditions we treat include:
- Acute Bronchitis
- Headache
- Fever
- Conjunctivitis
- Influenza
- Back pain
- UTI
- Respiratory Infection
- Sprains and strains
- Sinusitis
- Diarrhea
- Pharyngitis
- Exacerbations of chronic disease (asthma, diabetes)
Patients may also be seen for triage or prescription refills.