Galileo is a recently launched telehealth service that provides 24/7 primary and multispecialty care in English and Spanish. It aims to differentiate itself by offering a fully bilingual service.
Dr. Jason Chirichigno is Head of Clinical Systems at Galileo. His goal is to help the 53 million American Spanish speakers remove language as a barrier to access to health care.
Galileo operates in all 50 states. Regional and national health plans, employers, and Fortune 500 organizations use Galileo to help improve population health.
Healthcare IT News Sit down with Chirichigno for an in-depth look at how the national telemedicine platform works and why bilingual services are great for Company is so important.
Q. Please describe how you deliver virtual healthcare, including how you deliver primary and multispecialty care, and how you work with payers and employers .
A. At Galileo, our goal is to improve Quality and affordability of healthcare for all. We are a modern, data-driven healthcare group that provides high-touch, multispecialty, longitudinal care to patients of all complexities over the phone, at home, and in communities across all 50 states.
Galileo’s digital care products are designed for a diverse population of people who want immediate access to expert, affordable care. We provide primary, multispecialty, urgent, behavioral and complex chronic care through an easy-to-use digital platform.
Galileo’s clinicians work as a team, reviewing cases and adding expertise, which allows us to provide faster, more accurate diagnoses and treatment plans.
Specifically, Galileo can manage almost 90% of medical conditions without in-person referrals. Over 50% of Galileo’s care is for chronic conditions such as diabetes, depression and high blood pressure. Employees using Galileo avoided more expensive in-person specialist, emergency or emergency room care 80% of the time. Over 85% of patients report improved health after Galileo’s care.
Galileo debuted home care for Medicare and Medicaid patients, creating a framework for incorporating social determinants of health into clinical analysis and bridging gaps in healthcare education.
From there, we have partnered with regional and national health plans to provide virtual priority care to their members.
We currently support UnitedHealthcare’s Virtual-First ACA exchange program in multiple states, with more to come in 2023. We provide a comprehensive and culturally inclusive professional care team.
We offer virtual-first care for all MVP Health Care members in New York and Vermont, including Medicaid and Medicare and ACA members and more. Our partnership with MVP gives Medicaid members 24/7 access to a primary care physician for the first time ever since they were previously required to see a PCP in person.
Several other Fortune 500 companies trust Galileo as their virtual primary care solution for their employees. Through these employer partnerships, we are able to lower the total cost of care and reduce the number of emergency room and urgent care visits.
Q. One of Galileo’s big selling points is that your practice is bilingual – English and Spanish. What made you choose this direction and take it so seriously?
A. Galileo Spanish products originate from us Commitment to equitable healthcare for all. Traditional models of care leave many populations behind, especially those from underserved communities. By removing language and access barriers to high-quality, multi-specialty providers, we can close this gap and build a more equitable, reliable and affordable healthcare system.
Spain has 53 million Spanish speakers The United States is projected to become the largest Spanish-speaking country in the world by 2050, according to the US Census Bureau. U.S. health outcomes and addressing health inequities. By creating and delivering a fully bilingual healthcare platform that provides 24/7 care in English and Spanish, we are removing a key barrier to care.
Meeting the people they are with is also important, which is why, in addition to virtual care services, Galileo offers bilingual and bicultural home and community care. Our trained clinicians understand cultural nuances when providing care to Spanish-speaking communities.
Q. How does language translation play a role in your workflow for delivering care?
A. Since the Galileo app is fully available in English and Spanish version, so no translation required. To access Galileo’s 24/7 on-demand digital care platform, patients simply use the Spanish-language app. In doing so, they automatically connect with a fully bilingual provider who speaks Spanish.
44% of our clinicians are bilingual to meet patient needs, removing many of the barriers clinicians often encounter as the only Spanish speakers in practice. This translates into a seamless experience, as those using the Spanish-language version of the app receive all follow-up and communications in their preferred language.
In addition, Galileo’s professional Spanish-speaking clinicians and the platform are available nationwide by text, video or phone, day or night, to meet patient needs without an appointment .
By enabling people to reach a Spanish-speaking clinician in minutes, we can provide faster, more accurate diagnosis and treatment, resulting in lower cost of care and better outcomes .
Q. Please give an example from your actual experience where bilingual telemedicine is really important for a case.
A. I would like to share one of our bilingual Virtual Clinician Anthony Guglielmo, MSN, NP-C.
“We recently cared for a lovely elderly patient from Peru,” recalls Guglielmo. “She recently moved to the US to live with her family. She has an account in English and her family is doing their best to translate for her, but it’s clear they can’t express themselves adequately and important information is lost in translation .
“The English-speaking provider who was working on the case asked me to contact her, and I was more than happy to do so,” he continued. “I first helped her with her Galileo account Convert to Spanish. This made it easier to interact with her directly, as the questionnaires were automatically sent in Spanish.
“The patient was very grateful to be able to communicate in her native language and we were able to resolve her health issues quickly and efficiently,” he concluded. “I am personally very satisfied to be able to help this Spanish-speaking patient, something we are proud of at Galileo – providing seamless, culturally sensitive care.”
Twitter: @SiwickiHealthIT
Email the author: [email protected]
Healthcare IT News is a HIMSS media publication.
