The rise of the “virtualist” is reshaping how healthcare is delivered.

In this episode of Straight Out of Health IT, Dr. Lyle Berkowitz, Founder and CEO of KeyCare, shares how his platform is building a future for physicians who choose to practice primarily in telehealth. He explains how flexibility, reduced bureaucracy, and expanded insurance coverage have fueled this trend, especially for working parents, frequent travelers, and semi-retired doctors. While some critics point to limits in physical exams, Dr. Berkowitz notes that most diagnoses rely on patient history, and virtual care can improve access, prevent unnecessary ER visits, and even offer valuable glimpses into patients’ home environments.

He highlights virtual care’s role in advancing health equity by enabling care outside traditional clinic hours and reducing appointment backlogs for complex cases. By integrating directly with Epic’s MyChart, KeyCare ensures coordinated visits, preserves patient trust, and eliminates the need to repeat medical histories. Even patients without internet access can benefit through phone consultations, which are still better than no care at all.

Dr. Berkowitz outlines KeyCare’s differentiator: embedding entirely within Epic to seamlessly share data with health systems, support chronic care through the “three C’s” (cover, co-manage, complete), and offload low-complexity cases from hospitals. He envisions KeyCare evolving into a national virtual medical group that partners with health systems and payers, while leveraging ambient AI to enhance care delivery.

Tune in to hear how Dr. Berkowitz is redefining what it means to “see the doctor” in the digital age!