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<p>WILKES-BARRE &#8212; Patients of three area emergency rooms and two walk-in clinics can now wait to be seen by a doctor in the comfort of their own homes.</p><p>Commonwealth Health announced Tuesday its new online check-in program, intended for those with non-life threatening medical concerns, was launched this week at Moses Taylor Hospital and Regional Hospital in Scranton; Wilkes-Barre General Hospital; the Mid Valley Walk-In Clinic in Blakely, and the Mountain Top Walk-In Clinic.</p><p>Dr. Douglas Coslett, chief medical officer at Wilkes-Barre General Hospital, said the purpose of the new program is twofold: It allows patients to have more control over their time, and it assists emergency room and urgent care doctors with patient flow at their respective facilities.</p><p>&#8220;This is a way for us to provide even more efficient care and a way to improve customer satisfaction,&#8221; Coslett said.</p><p>The program, accessed via <a href="http://www.commonwealthhealth.net" target="_blank">www.commonwealthhealth.net</a>, allows patients to select a time for their appointment. Coslett, who said the company already has a &#8220;30-minute waiting pledge&#8221; for its emergency rooms, said these times are approximate and still dependent on whether there is an influx of high-priority cases.</p><p>For those who don&#8217;t have a computer or smartphone, there will be only a certain amount of online appointments available, so walk-ins will be accommodated as well. &#8220;There are advantages to being tech-savvy,&#8221; Coslett said.</p><p>Patients can expect to be seen within 15 minutes of their selected appointment time, according to a news release. If there is a spike in patient traffic, staff will notify patients via email or automated phone call with a new projected treatment time.</p><p>The program also can detect if a patient&#8217;s symptoms are cause to take immediate action. For example, if a patient types &#8220;chest pain&#8221; as a symptom during online registration, a message will appear directing the patient to call 911.</p><p>&#8220;Anybody who&#8217;s having severe headache, dizziness, chest pains, neurological symptoms, cardiac symptoms, severe shortness of breath, high fever&#8221; and other potentially life-threatening symptoms should not wait to go to the emergency room, Coslett said.</p><p>The program is especially useful for parents with small children and patients with compromised immune systems looking to avoid exposure to germs and viruses, according to the news release.</p><p>The program is available to anyone, not only those who have an existing relationship with Commonwealth Health, Coslett said.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Coslett </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/web1_Douglas-Coslett-MD-9-26.jpg</photo0><caption0>Coslett </caption0><photoCredit0></photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Commonwealth Health launches online registration for area emergency rooms, walk-in clinics</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Sarah Hite Hando</p><p>shando@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Sarah Hite Hando at 570-704-3945.</p></shirttailMeta></div>