Photo: Chaiel Schaffel/WBZ NewsRadio
BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — A Massachusetts orthopedic practice has partnered with a health app to improve urgent care in their specialized field.
It’s called HURT!. It allows for users to take a picture of a sprained body part and submit it directly into the app.
From there, the service gives the patient a diagnosis from a qualified doctor or physician’s assistant.
If necessary, it then refers you to a local orthopedic doctor for further inspection.
Boston Orthopaedic and Spine was the first orthopedic practice in Massachusetts’s to partner with the app.
CEO LeighAnn Huml couldn’t be happier with the partnership.
She mentioned that the app’s quick turnarounds were a major selling point.
“They turn around and call you and say hey, what happened, you slipped, you fell, you hurt your arm, they’ll give you advice,” said LeighAnn.
She also felt that it was a much safer route to use compared to going to a standard urgent care.
“What people sometimes don’t think about is they think ‘I’m going to go to urgent care, I’m going to go to ER’,” said Huml. “They’re not orthopedic specialists most of the time.”
She said it could potentially mean a higher chance of a misdiagnosis from a non-specialist that is ill-equipped for the situation at hand.
LeighAnn hopes that the app will alleviate this uncertainty and connect people to professionals right away.
“I’m a mom of three,” added LeighAnn. “Time is so valuable, so I want to go to someone who’s going to put me in the right direction, so the demand is really making sure you are diagnosed appropriately from the beginning.”
The app is available to use 24/7 and is free.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Chaiel Schaffel (@CSchaffelWBZ) reports.
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