SAN ANTONIO – Do you need to make a same-day doctor’s appointment? Would it be even easier for you if you weren’t charged a copay?
The COVID-19 pandemic has triggered a massive increase in the use of telemedicine. It allows people of all ages, but especially seniors, from having to travel for an appointment or sit in a waiting room.
In a poll released in May 2020, the Kaiser Family Foundation found that nearly half of Americans delayed medical care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
It’s critical that the 6 out of 10-plus adults in the United States who suffer from chronic conditions stay in communication with their doctors and not miss out on care.
According to WellMed, telemedicine is less costly than an urgent care visit or the emergency room. In fact, many providers are waiving copays for telemedicine appointments.
Dr. Charles Van Duyne, associate chief medical information officer at WellMed, answered a couple questions about telemedicine and the type of care you can expect to receive.
Question No. 1: What are the top tips for someone who has never used telehealth?
“I suggest that as long as they have the device they need to -- whether it’s a smartphone or tablet -- find somebody who is more tech-savvy and practice doing those video chats with FaceTime or Zoom,” Van Duyne said.
WellMed’s TeleHealth app is a secure platform in which patients can talk to a doctor on the phone or computer through the virtual visit. Doctors can even send prescriptions to pharmacies, all without the patient leaving their couch.
“It’s like Amazon -- we bring the care to the patient and the patient doesn’t have to come to us for care,” Van Duyne said.
Question No. 2: What are the appropriate services and symptoms for someone considering making a telehealth appointment?
Van Duyne suggests that if an individual has acute non-urgent care symptoms such as a sore throat, cold, sinus problems, skin rashes or behavioral/mental health, a telemedicine appointment is a suitable option to receive care.
“Patients with high blood pressure and diabetes and some other chronic conditions still need to get seen and evaluated,” the doctor said. “With the telemedicine visit, you can show the doctor your blood pressure on your machine at home.”
As of mid-June, WellMed clinicians have conducted nearly 100,000 telemedicine visits in 2020 alone.
If you are interested in receiving telemedicine, call your health care provider’s office to see if the service is available.