Have you noticed that "TeleHealth" services used to be a new thing but now everyone is doing it?

SuckItCancer

Before this coronavirus thing telehealth was just being explored to see if it would work and if patients would come on board with it. Now during this lockdown, I see ads on TV every day from medical facilities offering it. Have any of you done this?

po18guy

Medicine is controlled by the concept of "best practice." Normally, that is a hands-on examination. However, best practice is now radically altered, since it may do harm.

Molly72

Everybody is not doing it.
You need to be aware that a very large part of the country does not have high-speed broadband computer access.

SuckItCancer

Molly that's true, it isn't everywhere, but I was talking about it seems like all of the doctor's offices and hospitals are doing it now. They are advertising like crazy where I live. It's easy money for them. I wouldn't do it myself.

andreacha

I have an appointment at 1pm tomorrow with my Primary on my patient portal on my computer. Personally, I would rather do it at this time then go to an office. I don't know how they will handle it when something needs a personal touch.

legaljen1969

Last week I had an in person appointment with my surgeon. She had to do an in person check of my incision and the healing process. I have been cleared not to come back in for several months now- well 3 months. If I have any other questions for her, I can access her through her healthcare portal and she can answer questions in writing. If I do need something from her, she is equipped to do telehealth follow ups.

My sleep specialists does all telehealth right now, but that's an appointment where no one needs to touch me or examine my body. She has all of the information she needs relayed to her through the app associated with my CPAP. I asked her how sleep studies were being conducted and those are all done at home for now.

My oncologist did a telehealth appointment with me, but we were just doing a quick check-in to follow-up on my medication. Since I am not doing any infusions or chemotherapy, there is no need for me to be seen in person.

I do think once this is over, most doctors will be trying to go back to more "normal" and conventional patient visits. I do agree that, in "normal times" the term "best practice" would involve a face to face physical meeting. I think they are having to balance this with the communities in which we all live. Maybe some areas have more cases and some have less. Maybe also immune systems and other associated health concerns are taken into effect.

For the purposes I have experienced, telehealth seems to be going well, but I definitely felt much relief over the in person experience last week.

To me, if the technology IS available, it can be used to avoid having to expose immunocompromised people to unnecessary risk. To me, it would be similar to calling a nurse line to ask for advice or to have him/her check with your doctor to see if something could be done that would not necessitate a trip in. Then if they felt you needed to be seen, there would be nothing preventing you or them from taking steps for an in person visit.

LiveWithCancer

I would not mind doing Tele-Medicine at all. It is a long drive to see my oncologist, lots of waiting around, have to pay for parking ... My blood tests are always the same (and fortunately, they are always good), the doctor sees me for 5 minutes ... and then I get to fight traffic home.

I would be fine to go get a scan (and maybe get blood drawn at the facility where I go for my scan) and then conference with my doctor by phone or internet conference about the results of my scan. If it turns out the scan shows that there has been progression, then I could make an appointment to go in so that we could get started on whatever treatment was going to happen. I am supposed to have quarterly check-ups ... with the pandemic, it has been pushed to every 6 months ... but I would be happy to trade every other live appointment with Tele-Medicine (but I am on "watch and see" ... not under active treatment).

BuckeyeShelby

Now with COVID, most of the groups at the TPA where I work are now offering telehealth. And most of those that do are offering it at 100% coverage for COVID specific. Now a number of groups do have a deadline, if they didn't already offer the service. The end of June seems to be a popular deadline. I'm sure if there is another nationwide spike, I'll likely see that date moved out. At least one group, who has had the benefit for awhile now, sort of uses it as the old HMO's used a PCP, as sort of a portal to see if a specialist or testing is needed. That group has the benefit mega-cheap, like 5 bucks, to encourage their employees to use the service.

andreacha

My session today with my Primary went well. 30 minutes were allotted. If I had something that had to be look at closely he said they are taking patients for those reasons.

Bengal

andreacha, I had to chuckle when I read your comment about things that need a "personal touch ". I had a telephone follow-up with my oncologist this morning. I had been apprehensive about how effective it could be but actually had one of the best conversations I've ever had with her. I even got a laugh from her. As a Breast Cancer patient part of a most follow-ups is the dreaded but necessary hands on manual exam. When I asked how exactly we were going to do that over the phone I got the laugh. Ya gotta keep your sense of humor, right!

I was concerned that my 6 month bloodwork would be postponed but no so. I had blood draw this afternoon.