BREMERTON — CHI Franciscan Health is expanding its Virtual Urgent Care to patients in Harrison Medical Center’s service area.

Patients using Virtual Urgent Care have access — via phone, webcam, smartphone, tablet or PC — to board-certified doctors and nurse practitioners any time day or night. Those doctors and nurse practitioners can offer diagnosis, prescriptions and set up in-person follow-up appointments. Virtual Urgent Care is $35 per visit.

“The expansion of Virtual Urgent Care is an important part of our goal to create accessible, reliable consumer-focused heath care options for our patients,” CHI Franciscan Health chief medical officer Mark Adams said in a CHI announcement of the expansion.

In CHI’s announcement, patient Kathryn Crofts of Bonney Lake said, “It’s amazing how simple using Virtual Urgent Care is. It’s a huge hassle to be ill and have to drag yourself to the emergency room or a doctor’s office. With Virtual Urgent Care, I can talk to a physician, tell them my situation and get their recommendations within minutes. They can even call in your prescriptions for you.”

Virtual Urgent Care was initially introduced to Franciscan patients in September 2013. Since launch, CHI Franciscan estimates that the service has saved patients more than $600,000 compared to the cost of seeking care at an emergency department, urgent care or primary care provider or clinic.

“Virtual Urgent Care doesn’t replace our clinics or hospitals, but it makes the health care process more efficient and convenient for patients,” Adams said. “Virtual Urgent Care can be there when the flu strikes at 2 a.m., a nasty cough develops on a business trip, or a camping trip is interrupted by a spider bite.”