TELEMEDICINE HAS ARRIVED
The COVID-19 pandemic came upon us suddenly and life changed in just days. We not only had to learn how to—at least temporarily—shelter in place but also how to communicate with doctors through virtual visits or telemedicine.
We’ve had the simplest form of telemedicine for quite awhile—the phone call. Now, we’ve added in visual technology—through using our computers and our smartphones. In this time of coronavirus, telemedicine has arrived.
Here detailing some of its advantages is Meera Sunder, a primary care physician in Massachusetts, in the July 3, 2020 Harvard Health Blog post Making telemedicine more inclusive.
“Within days after Massachusetts declared a state of emergency in response to the spread of COVID-19, almost all of our patient visits became telemedicine visits. Our staff reached out to patients to inform them of different ways they could get in touch with their doctor. Many would be able to gain access to health care through a health app connected to their healthcare web portal, or through a phone call or video call. The enormous potential of telehealth was apparent to me within weeks.”
Chronic conditions and COVID-19: How did telemedicine help?
“Healthcare providers like myself had to quickly adapt our clinical practice to use technology optimally. We found that a combination of phone calls and video calls allows us to continue to monitor people with chronic diseases, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart and lung problems. Video proved particularly helpful in assessing who needed to be seen quickly for a health issue, while avoiding unnecessary exposure to COVID-19 in emergency rooms when possible.”
“Our organization developed a community management strategy for COVID-19. For example, we were able to educate patients and their families on ways to avoid getting COVID-19, or spreading it. Additionally, we used telehealth to lessen the strain on emergency and hospital systems, conserve personal protective equipment (PPE), and reduce health care costs. By using phone and video triage, clinicians could identify people who were so ill they needed to be seen in clinics or at the hospital. Throughout recent months, telehealth platforms have helped our primary care providers and specialists communicate across various clinics, through virtual huddles and meetings.”
Unsure about using telemedicine?
“Here are some useful tips:
- Create an email address if you do not have one already. This is the first step to help you communicate with your doctor.
- Call your doctor’s office to understand better how telemedicine works at their clinic. Staff can usually take you through the steps of creating an account and logging into the patient portal or health app you’ll be using.
- Familiarize yourself with the device you’ll be using (phone, tablet, or computer) before your appointment. Seek help from a family member or friend if you need additional support.
- Ask questions and advocate for yourself. Telemedicine visits are new to a lot of people, and it is okay to not know everything.
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Until now adoption of telemedicine has been hampered by varying policies on insurance reimbursement. But with COVID-19 many of the impediments have been temporarily lifted. Medicare coverage has been extended to cover many virtual visits even if unrelated to the pandemic. And many Medicare Advantage plans offer telemedicine as a benefit.
If telemedicine works well during this pandemic, it may lead to wider availability and use going forward. Virtual appointments can enable you to receive ongoing care with your regular doctor when an in-person visit isn’t required. Telehealth can keep evolving to make health care more efficient and more available from the comfort and safety of your own home.