Rensselaer County launches online emergency room for Medicaid patients

RENSSELAER COUNTY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Medicaid members in Rensselaer County now have emergency medical treatment in the palms of their hands.

It’s called “ER Anywhere” because all you need is a phone or tablet to be immediately connected with an emergency physician. You can use the app for anything from a minor injury, to something that requires an ambulance.

Keith Algozzine, C.E.O. of United Concierge Medicine says ER Anywhere is the first app of its kind in the country because of the way it uses technology to combine three live-saving services.

“This is emergency medical services like ambulances, it’s emergency expertise, which is our service, and it’s using the 911 center and the Department of Social Services within Rensselaer County,” Algozzine told News10.

Algozzine says the partnership between CDPHP, United Concierge Medicine, and Rensselaer County will not only give patients the ability to seek medical treatment from their homes, but also improve patient care in actual emergency rooms by treating non-emergencies remotely.

“You could potentially have a very serious condition waiting in the waiting room while unnecessary patients are crowding the ER,” Algozzine told News10.

ER Anywhere is supposed to help patients decide whether or not to make that trip. Patients will be able to share phone calls, videos, and photos with medical professionals. United Concierge Medicine’s emergency medicine team will decide to either treat or triage them.

Rensselaer County Steve McLaughlin is proud that his county is the first in the state to provide this service.

“This partnership will help maintain and ensure care for our residents and in fact, get them the care they need even faster,” McLaughlin said in a press conference.

Algozzine says that while his company is based in Troy, he’s already in talks with counties across the state and country to make the service available to more patients.