BICMD Inc today announced the release of its comprehensive orthopedic telehealth platform. The product is the only one of its kind connecting patients seeking musculoskeletal consultations to the nation’s top orthopedic physicians via a secure and easy-to-use videoconferencing and medical record review platform.
While acceptance and adoption of telehealth has surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, offerings for tele-orthopedic advice have remained limited. “As surgeons, COVID-19 really made us sit back and evaluate how our field was providing access to quality orthopedic care. In the traditional model, there are so many challenges facing patients, including long scheduling times and highly variable quality of care. At BICMD we are addressing these challenges head-on by providing virtual, on-demand access to leading orthopedic physicians across the country. Whether it’s for a recent injury that requires more immediate attention or a trusted second opinion on an existing diagnosis, patients now have world-class experts and personalized treatment plans at their fingertips.” said Dr. Benedict Nwachukwu, an orthopedic surgeon at the Hospital for Special Surgery and cofounder of BICMD.
Now, patients and businesses can access BICMD’s network of orthopedists for medical record reviews, 24/7 on-demand videoconferences, and comprehensive tele-consultations.
The first step for Dr. Nwachukwu and his co-founder, Dr. Riley Williams, was to create a network of specialists willing to provide virtual consultations, a barrier that had proven difficult for past entrants. “Specialty care providers, especially those that are the most highly trained and reputable, have traditionally been slow adopters of telehealth. This paradigm has shifted. The top orthopedists are now more than ever willing to share their expertise in new and improved ways. As an established orthopedic surgeon with more than 25 years of clinical practice, I have embraced the transition to virtual care. The feedback we’ve received from our orthopedic experts has more than validated BICMD’s mission to provide orthopedic advice in a manner that is best for consumers” said Dr. Williams.
Whereas traditional telehealth often connects a patient to a generalist provider, BICMD’s patented matching algorithm ensures that patients are seen by a world-renowned orthopedic expert, with subspecialty training tailored to the musculoskeletal condition. BICMD, an abbreviation for Best In Class Medical Doctors, accepts only the top 1% of specialists based on their training, years in practice, and a proprietary reputation score.
Remote access to these elite specialists can reduce unnecessary healthcare costs while delivering better patient outcomes. “We did not just want to duplicate what otherwise was available to patients within their geographic marketplace, but rather provide a service that was previously inaccessible” said Dr. Nwachukwu. Orthopedic second opinions can prove particularly impactful to employers and payers in rural communities, where access to elite care has to-date been limited. With access to virtual consultations from best-in-class experts, BICMD projects that as many as 25% of surgeries can be avoided in favor of alternative and more conservative treatment plans.
Other times, patients simply seek the peace of mind of hearing an expert’s opinion before undergoing a life-altering procedure. To Dr. Williams, the mission is simple: “All patients deserve access to the same advice we provide our professional athletes”. Dr. Williams is the Medical Director for the Brooklyn Nets (NBA), New York Red Bulls (MLS), and Team Physician for USA Basketball. Dr. Nwachukwu is a medical consultant to the National Basketball Players Association, Team Physician for the New York Red Bulls and has been a team physician for the Chicago Bulls and White Sox. Both surgeons have practices at the Number 1 ranked Hospital for Special Surgery and are orthopedic professors at Cornell Medical School. Similar credentials can be found throughout BICMD’s expert network. BICMD consults on all musculoskeletal specialties including hand and upper extremity, hip/knee replacement, foot and ankle, orthopedic oncology, pediatrics, physical medicine and rehabilitation (Physiatry), spine surgery, sports medicine and trauma.
To get an expert opinion or learn more about enterprise partnerships, visit BICMD.com.
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