Ft. Worth (WBAP/KLIF News) – This year, Texas lawmakers passed a measure that allows for “telemedicine,” which lets doctors see patients through a video feed.
“Unfortunately when kids, mostly, but everyone gets sick or hurt, it’s never at a convenient time,” says Tony Ruggeri, the co-chief executive of Republic Property Group.
Republic Property Group is developing the Walsh community, a master-planned neighborhood of 15,000 homes in West Fort Worth. Walsh will let residents sign up for a telemedicine program as part of its HOA program.
Texas is the last state to allow some type of “telemedicine,” but Ruggeri says Walsh will be the first development in the country to offer a dedicated program through its HOA.
“There is no reference point for what we’re doing because it’s all new things. It’s exciting and terrifying at the same time,” he jokes.
Doctors are provided by Teladoc, a provider of telemedicine based in Lewisville. Teladoc has advocated for video conferencing for doctors’ visits since 2011.
The bill that was passed lets doctors treat patients by video, but doctors must have access to records and “clinically relevant” images or videos.
At Walsh, Ruggeri says a consultation will cost residents nothing outside the annual fee. Walsh, which is expected to open later this year, also plans to offer a telemedicine program to connect nurses at Aledo Independent School District to doctors at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Ft. Worth. Aledo ISD is building an elementary school at Walsh.
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