JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Jacksonville’s Chief Health Officer, Dr. Sunil Joshi, addressed recent accusations of financial misconduct related to the city’s telemedicine program, Healthlink JAX.
The program aims to provide virtual healthcare to uninsured residents, reducing emergency room visits and improving health outcomes.
Joshi explained the program’s purpose.
“We have about 110,000 people who are uninsured in Jacksonville, and the vast majority of them are coming from the underserved parts of the county where we have the worst health outcomes,” he said.
Healthlink JAX connects patients to telehealth services through a vendor called Telescope Health.
“They have done an amazing job. They’ve had over 6,500 calls in the last year, have done over 2,000 physician visits and 2,000 nursing care visits during this time, and have been keeping people out of the emergency room,” Joshi said.
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Responding to allegations of Medicare or Medicaid fraud, Joshi said, “Not one of those people now, a single one of them had Medicare, Medicaid or any private health insurance.”
Councilmember Matt Carlucci, who supports the program, also responded to the claims.
“They have done a magnificent job for the citizens of Jacksonville and for the taxpayers. Any of these accusations are totally baseless.”
On the same episode, we also spoke with Carlucci about Jacksonville’s Main Street Bridge getting historic recognition and with GOP gubernatorial candidate James Fishback about his candidacy in Florida.
WATCH: Full TWIJ episode below. Dr. Joshi interview begins at 10:40