Tele-Visits: The Medicine of the Future

Tele-visits (or video visits) with your practitioner have made it possible to get medical care while in the comfort of your own home. Telemedicine is changing the way providers and patients are giving and receiving care. This includes not just primary care, but specialists as well.

If you were not feeling well and had the option to stay home resting and video chat with your practitioner instead, that would probably sound like an ideal answer.  It means no driving, no sitting in a waiting room, no worrying about being around others. This also serves to protect sick patients from other illnesses, and also protects the medical staff. In fact, even if you aren’t going in for a sick visit, the convenience of being able to check in with your doctor at a location of your choice is extremely appealing to most.

Even though the use of tele-visits has become more widespread, many patients report they have never tried it. The ones who have are surprised at how easy and convenient it is to see a provider, receive the care they need, and not have to rearrange their entire day to fit in a visit. This has been particularly helpful in our practice during COVID-19 and for patients in professions who may have difficulty taking time off work for appointments. Additionally, if travel is difficult or restricted following an automobile accident or injury, tele-visits can be an effective solution.

Just this week I was able to schedule a same day tele-visit with my daughter’s allergist to discuss treatment during a 30-minute window of time that would have been impossible if not for the fact that we did not have to drive to her office.

Have you ever considered giving tele-visits a try? If you are still on the fence and aren’t sure if it’s right for you, call our office to discuss your concerns and we will help you determine if it would be beneficial. We are confident that once you give it a try you will never look back.