The city of Garland has enrolled residents in a new telehealth program billed as a way to increase and simplify health care access.
The Garland City Council voted 7 to 2 last week to approve an agreement to bring Tap Telehealth to the community. Part of Dallas-based MD Health Pathways, the program connects users with a doctor or provider by phone for a health consultation, with no copays or deductibles. It offers basic health care services through a monthly fee added to a household’s utility bill, with the ability to opt out at any time.
“We all know Garland no longer has a hospital,” said MD Health Pathways CEO Dirk Perritt. “You have long transport times of your EMS because of a lack of access to health care. And you have residents that are utilizing 911 because they don't have transportation. We can reduce those.”
Garland has been without a hospital since early 2018, when Baylor Scott and White closed due to financial losses. It’s the first “large” city to bring in the telehealth program, according to an MD Health Pathways spokesperson. Other partner cities include Ferris, Henderson and Crandall.
Supporters at the council meeting said the telehealth program would close the gap for vulnerable populations such as disabled and senior residents and those who don’t have health insurance.
“I know what their concerns are,” said resident and community organizer Soraya Santos. “Access to health care is the hope of everyone I speak to, and a program like this really has the ability to make a profound and tangible difference.”
She said a telehealth pilot program through MD Health Pathways connected her to medical attention that she attributes to saving her life.
Perritt told the city council during a workshop in May that a provider’s average response time is two minutes; he said most concerns can be addressed by text message, and about 3% of interactions end up with a referral to a higher level of care.
“We’ve developed a health care system that’s based off the way a doctor treats their own friends and family,” he said.
Some council members had issues about the payment model. Ed Moore, who represents District 3, said during Wednesday’s meeting that constituents in his district were concerned about the fees being forced on them.
“I think the approach is wrong. I think that when we're going to do something to 240,000 people, before they find it in their bill, we should go and talk to them," Moore said.
“Just like we do with zoning, just like we'd do it in any other case with any other thing that we're doing. We take it to them, we give them the choice. And that's what I'm missing here."
Perritt acknowledged many residents might not want to use the service because they have good insurance or access to a doctor. But he said it’s “neighborly” to allow others the same access.
“Instead of canceling the entire program, why not be neighborly and just simply opt out?” he said.
The city says it will be eight months before the program rolls out and residents start seeing fees on their utility bills.
Officials and staff plan to conduct outreach through bill inserts and community meetings. Representatives from MD Pathways said they will meet with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), NAACP and other community groups to get the word out.
Priscilla Rice is KERA’s communities reporter. Got a tip? Email her at price@kera.org.
KERA News is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you.
