Over the past few years, the wait time for a medical appointment has grown increasingly long — and in the Rappahannock-Rapidan area, where many people live in rural communities and the population is aging, the problem is especially acute.
To address this critical need, two local physicians — Andrew Kohler, M.D., M.B.A., C.P.E., former vice chair of medicine at Culpeper Medical Center, and his wife Krista Kohler, M.D., M.A.L.S., an emergency physician — have just launched an innovative new service called Atlantic Telehealth, an online medical clinic that provides rapid access to medical care.
"Our mainstay is to provide access to care after a hospital or ER discharge. Atlantic Telehealth will back up your primary care when their schedules are full or provide primary and specialty care services to those without a doctor. We love this community and we aim to do our part,” said Kohler.
The Kohlers, who have deep roots in the area, also founded the nonprofit network Rappahannock Health, which cultivates health system collaboration throughout Virginia. The relationships and trust they’ve built over the years with other providers and organizations is one reason that Atlantic Telehealth is so effective in quickly connecting patients to the medical care they require.
Initially offered in Culpeper, Rappahannock, Madison, and Fauquier counties, Atlantic Telehealth is now expanding services to the entire Commonwealth. Their platform is set up to handle a range of needs — urgent care, routine checkups and diagnostics, rural access, referral to specialists, hospital follow-up services, and more.
How to access care with Atlantic Telehealth
The best way to use the service is to make an appointment online — and it’s incredibly easy even if you don’t consider yourself tech savvy. You just select the reason for your visit from a drop-down menu, then choose a day and time for your appointment. If the situation is urgent, you can also make same-day or next-day appointments.
Those without internet access can call Atlantic Telehealth at 571.249.2493. And if you want to use the online portal but don’t have the link, just call in and they’ll email it to you.
They accept health insurance from most major companies, as well as Medicaid and Medicare. When necessary, there are also social workers on the team who can help with insurance or payment issues.
A comprehensive medical network
Atlantic Telehealth’s comprehensive range of services is backed by the Virginia Commonwealth and the Virginia Department of Health, and they collaborate with UVA Health and other major hospitals. They are also partnered with local labs and imaging centers, as well as local free clinics and Rapp at Home, which provides transportation and other services for the elderly.
Their state-of-the art platform for online telehealth and secure HIPAA electronic health records are provided by Athena Health, a company that won four Best in KLAS awards in 2023 for customer satisfaction.
For anyone with a medical need that requires prompt attention, Atlantic Telehealth is an invaluable addition to the healthcare system.
“We’re open, we’re ready and we’re local,” Kohler said.
