Health Services Where You Need Them

Visiting your physician for common ailments like back pain, poison ivy or cold and flu symptoms no longer requires a trip to the doctor’s office.

Now, Pitt faculty and staff who have UPMC Health Plan coverage can take advantage of UPMC AnywhereCare to receive diagnoses and treatment plans — including prescriptions sent directly to their pharmacy of choice.

Patricia McCann, director of benefits in the Office of Human Resources, hopes that faculty and staff will try the option: “Once they try it, they’ll really like it!”

Intended for those experiencing nonemergency symptoms, UPMC AnywhereCare enables patients to have face-to-face conversations with UPMC health care providers via live video on a computer or mobile app. Providers are certified registered nurse practitioners, physician assistants and physicians, all specially trained to handle patients’ AnywhereCare requests.

UPMC Health Plan members can expect to pay for their virtual visits about as much as they would to see their primary care physicians and less than they would for a visit to urgent care facilities.

Users can access UPMC AnywhereCare at any time and from anywhere in the U.S.; a separate provider group, Online Care Group, will provide services to users outside Pennsylvania. The app can be also be used for treatment of children age 3 or older; parents and legal guardians should check the terms and conditions for more information.

Available for iOS and Android devices, the app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play, respectively, by searching for “UPMC AnywhereCare.” Users must create an account to use the service, and can register online at UPMCAnywhereCare.com

As an option for wellness and treatment, UPMC AnywhereCare joins the UPMC MyHealth@Work Center, an onsite center where faculty and staff can receive treatment for a variety of health issues. Services provided include wellness screenings and support for chronic conditions, and are offered at no cost to Pitt faculty and staff, regardless of insurance coverage.

McCann, who assists in overseeing the University’s wellness efforts — a key component of faculty and staff benefits, highlighted the convenience of both virtual and drop-in services. “Sometimes people can’t make the time, so we want to encourage them to think about how they use healthcare delivery systems,” she said.

For more information about UPMC Anywhere Care, read the brochure and the FAQs on the Office of Human Resources’ website.

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