New Mobile App, TouchCare, Enables Patients to have Video Appointments with Their Physician on Smart

DURHAM, N.C. - Nov. 21, 2014 - PRLog -- DURHAM, North Carolina– Nov. 21, 2014 – If there is one thing nearly everyone has in common these days, it's a busy schedule. Thanks to a new mobile app called TouchCare, some doctor's appointments can now be as quick and convenient as a Skype or FaceTime call with a friend. Simply downloaded from the app store, TouchCare enables face-to-face video appointments on a triple-encrypted line for secure conversations between physicians and their own patients using smartphones or tablets.

Built by the mobile generation for the mobile generation, TouchCare gives consumers the option to talk to their own doctor without traveling to the office or facing rounds of phone tag trying to connect. Its convenience supplements in-office visits, providing a perfect platform for follow-up appointments, test results, medication refills, afterhours care and doctor-to-doctor communication. It is also being commended for use with seniors, other patients with poor mobility, parents with young children and as a better alternative to a variety of “call me if” situations.

"Technology and the way we use it to enhance our lives is changing so rapidly – yet it has not made healthcare more accessible for patients. If anything, it is harder to connect with your own doctor than in years past," said Damian Gilbert, TouchCare’s founder and CEO. “TouchCare is delivering on this need, offering technology that both improves and expedites the healthcare experience, and most importantly, keeps patients connected to their own healthcare providers for continuity of care.”

Industry demand is palpable with telehealth now growing at an exponential pace. In fact, Forbes Magazine named it the "Top HealthTrend for 2014" citing a study forecasting a 50 percent spike in phone, computer and tablet use for healthcare purposes in the United States this year alone.

For physicians, TouchCare provides a number of benefits:

Improved continuity of care and patient satisfaction

A more personalized approach to build stronger connection to patients

Ability to save time and money with easy, cost-effective implementation into existing operations – simply download and start using

The option to charge for these remote consultations, unlike with traditional phone calls

"We offer a practical, clear-cut solution," continued Gilbert. "Because TouchCare has been created with both providers and patients in mind, the focus is on convenience in a very positive and personal way. We’re delivering on both remote, mobile access and better quality of care with an easy to use, completely secure solution that maintains the critical link between patients and their providers."

TouchCare is HIPAA compliant and makes privacy a top priority. Using encryption technology, the app creates a secure line of communication between doctors and patients to ensure confidentiality.

TouchCare officially launched in March 2014 and is already being used by physicians in both North Carolina and New York. The early stage startup was founded by Gilbert and a group of frustrated consumers who recognized a need for better care when immediate doctor visits were not possible. The app was designed as an alternative to “dial-a-doc” services, allowing patients to reach their own physicians via video.

TouchCare is free to patients and free to try for physicians. Patients interested in connecting with their provider via video consults should encourage their doctor to learn more. For additional information, visit: www.touchcare.com.

About TouchCare

Headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, TouchCare offers the convenience and better quality of care that both physicians and patients now demand. The app brings mobile health to mobile people, offering patients a way to remotely connect with their own doctors through private face-to-face video calls via smart phones or tablets. TouchCare officially launched in early 2014 and is already used by providers at some of America's leading medical centers, including Mount Sinai in New York City. For more information, visit: www.touchcare.com.