On the heels of success in deploying its MPG Connect telehealth service to 500-plus physicians and nearly half a million patients statewide, Millennium Physician Group has once again rallied around its patients by rolling out a first-of-its-kind Virtual Care Clinic. 

“Exceptional care doesn’t only happen between 8 am and 5 pm,” says Millennium’s chief medical officer, Alejandro Perez-Trepichio. “It transcends what is convenient and evolves to meet the needs of our patients.” 

Using its proprietary telehealth platform to see patients virtually during extended evening hours, Millennium’s Virtual Care Clinic has launched in the Tampa region, where Millennium providers are addressing a variety of acute-care issues, from sniffles to sprains. 

“There’s only so many patients in need of care you can see in a day,” admits Nektarios Demetriou, D.O., Millennium’s medical director for the Tampa region. “It’s a wonderful service to the community, because I really do feel that at the end of the day, this offers a greater coordination of care for the patient and helps the urgent care and emergency rooms that are getting overloaded.” 

The ultimate goal of this initiative is to decrease the number of unnecessary urgent-care and emergency-room visits while maintaining patients’ access to quality health care. Dr. Demetriou adds that it’s just this type of innovative approach to medical care that sets Millennium apart. “Millennium is not just a medical company but a technology company as well,” he explains. “This type of no-barriers approach to treating patients is definitely a trend we’ll be seeing more of.” 

The Virtual Care Clinic is available for Millennium’s Tampa-area patients during this initial pilot phase, with plans to expand statewide. Not only is it more economical for patients than a trip to an urgent care or emergency room, the Virtual Care Clinic is also more effective, because the Virtual Care providers have access to patients’ complete medical records. 

Millennium continues to be a differentiator in the market. “Millennium’s innovation and rapid adaptation of technology will continue to lead us to be our patients’ connection to a healthier life,” assures Dr. Perez-Trepichio, “during the pandemic and always.” 

Liza Fernandez is the host of the weekly Destination Health report on the local NBC2 and Sarasota’s SNN television stations and a frequent contributor from Millennium Physician Group.