We’re bringing VisualDx, our clinical support knowledge system, to physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants at federally-qualified health centers (FQHCs) in the state of Massachusetts.
Here’s what you can do with VisualDx:
- Get immediate answers with specialty-level knowledge at your fingertips.
- See variations of disease to solve challenging diagnoses.
- Build patient confidence in your diagnosis through shared images and information.
- Improve diagnostic accuracy. Improve patient outcomes.
Holyoke Health Center
VisualDx is helping clinicians at Holyoke Health Center to diagnose and treat patients more accurately, quickly, and safely. It provides access to up-to-date medical information on diseases from dermatology to infectious disease, patient handouts written in easily accessible terms in both English and Spanish for improved communication with patients, as well as detailed images of skin conditions for better diagnostic accuracy.
The availability of VisualDx at the Holyoke Health Center benefits not only the clinicians but also their underserved patient population. The vast majority of patients served by Mount Holyoke are racial minorities: 75% Hispanic; 9% Black/African American; 4% American Indian; and 2% Asian — who often lack access to quality healthcare due to language barriers or cultural differences between providers and patients, which can lead to poorer health outcomes.
By providing this resource directly within the clinic setting itself, it allows practitioners additional tools they need when working with these populations that may have limited health literacy or language barriers. This will help ensure that all individuals receive appropriate care regardless of race or ethnicity while helping build trust between provider and patient through effective communication about diagnosis and treatments plans provided by visual aids like those found on VisualDx platform.
The first time I used VisualDx was for a MyChart encounter in which a patient had been seen out of state and the rash on their hand still was not healing. They sent a picture and I used VisualDx to diagnose herpetic whitlow. It was on the joint and was not a typical presentation so was not thought of when she was seen previously.
—Dr. Mariani, UVMMC family medicine physician
FAQs
What is VisualDx? VisualDx is a peer-reviewed, electronic health record (EHR)-interoperable professional resource available on desktop and smartphones. The clinical decision support system covers over 3400 diseases and is used in the exam room to assist professional decisions at over 2300 hospitals and clinics globally. The system is particularly comprehensive for dermatologic and infectious disease presentations. The continually updated system includes more than 45,000 skin, oral, eye, genital, hair, nail, radiographic and ECG images and is used widely to assist diagnosis and educate patients. The system has a unique capability to search by patient symptoms and patient finding clues, thereby supporting differential diagnosis, testing and treatment decisions for common and rare diagnoses. Clinicians can receive point of care CME credit for every search.
Why should I use clinical support tools? The pace of change in infectious disease and public health makes improving disease recognition and modernizing public health’s communication with you and all healthcare professionals imperative. Diagnostic accuracy can drive more appropriate antibiotic use. Early skin cancer recognition will have better clinical outcomes. Emerging and re-emerging diseases of public health significance are increasing in frequency and public health should not be an afterthought separated from day-to-day care. Early diagnosis through improved alerting, education, and decision support, as well as fast access disease reporting, is a goal of the initiative.
Who is eligible to use VisualDx? All Vermont MDs, DOs, NPs, PAs, and UVM medical and nurse practitioner students are eligible to receive access to VisualDx. Primary care (family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, OB/GYN) and all hospitals, emergency medicine departments, and urgent care clinics in the state of Vermont are the initiative focus. Clinicians who fully adopt VisualDx tool into their daily routine will save time, engage their patients more meaningfully, and will be an active part of keeping Vermont healthy. All UVM medical and nurse practitioner students will have access to VisualDx on their desktops, tablets, and smartphones. Covering more than 3,400 diagnoses and 46,000 images, VisualDx is used during the first year as a powerful reference tool and can assist with problem-based learning. As you move into your clinical rotations you will find VisualDx as a clinical reasoning assistant and a differential diagnosis support tool. We encourage UVM students to be involved in The Vermont Clinician Support Initiative and to innovate and participate in educational research with us.
When does this initiative begin? The initiative has begun and licensed are ready for distribution on a first-come-first-served basis.
How do I get the VisualDx app? You can find your special access link on this page.
Where Can I Use VisualDx? This is a digital initiative. You can use the software in the exam room or anywhere clinical decisions are made. The iOS and Android smartphone apps have the same capability as the desktop as well as a unique AI-powered photo analysis workflow for common skin disorders.
About VisualDx
VisualDx is a healthcare informatics company headquartered in Rochester, NY. VisualDx began in public health over 20 years ago assisting the CDC and state, city, and county public health departments with bio-preparedness following the spread of anthrax in the US mail. Its strategy then, and now, is “dual use.”
Learn about our EHR integrations here.