Connecting women online to UPMC’s advanced specialty ob-gyn care for problems ranging from fibroid treatments and endometriosis to family planning and midlife health.
UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital is pioneering the delivery of virtual women’s specialty care services to Pennsylvania residents.
The new UPMC Magee-Womens Virtual Care Center combines Magee’s deep expertise in telemedicine with its nationally renowned services in advanced specialty care for women.
Leading the new Virtual Care Center are Glenn Updike, MD, a general ob-gyn with expertise in chronic vulvar and vaginal conditions, and Hyagriv Simhan, MD, MS, a maternal fetal medicine expert and vice chair of Obstetrics at Magee.
“Women with challenging or treatment-resistant gynecologic problems often struggle for years before finding the right medical solution for their needs,” explains Dr. Updike. “Having access to an expert in an ob-gyn specialty can be challenging, particularly for women who live far away from a major city. Pennsylvania’s high rural population makes access to that kind of specialty care especially difficult.”
“Diagnosing and treating some ob-gyn problems for women can require added expertise. Our Virtual Care Center is an outpatient clinic without walls,” says Dr. Simhan. “The care we provide is equal to that found at Magee’s other outpatient clinics. The difference is there’s no need to travel into Pittsburgh. Instead, we offer Magee’s top-ranked specialty care with the added convenience of virtual delivery.”
Areas of Care
Launched in early 2021, the UPMC Magee-Womens Virtual Care Center lets women schedule a video visit online without going through a scheduler. Specialty care services are now available in 8 high-demand areas. Plans are to add more services based on patient needs.
Virtual specialty care appointments can be scheduled online for:
- Bladder and pelvic health
- Endometriosis
- Family planning
- Fibroid treatment
- Midlife health
- Preconception counseling
- Pregnancy loss
- STD testing and treatment
- Vulvar and vaginal disorders
Is the UPMC Magee-Womens Virtual Care Center Right for You?
“The women using our Virtual Care Center have been looking for solutions to their ob-gyn problems,” says Dr. Updike. “They appreciate the opportunity to be seen by a specialist who has specific training and expertise in treating their condition.”
“Our video consultations are very personalized, in-depth patient visits. They’re just like a regular doctor appointment,” says Dr. Simhan. “They are about a half-hour long and include taking a complete medical history and doing a thorough review of the patient’s concerns.”
Based on information collected during the visit, a specialist may recommend testing, ideally near a patient’s home. Depending on the problem, an inpatient visit or follow-up virtual visit may be suggested.
The center’s virtual services are currently limited to Pennsylvania residents. As with any specialty care service, the video visit is billed to a patient’s insurance provider.
For More Information
To participate in a UPMC Magee-Womens Virtual Care Center visit, patients must download the MyUPMC app on their smart phone or tablet, and have a scheduled video appointment.
For more information, go to UPMCMagee.com/VirtualCare.