How to Get the Most Out of Your Doctor’s Visit With Telemedicine
Although telemedicine has been around for many years, it has evolved from a lesser-known healthcare option to a lifeline for many people during the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether you wanted to have a virtual appointment with a doctor to learn about the potential symptoms of COVID, or your child somehow acquired a pink eye during isolation and needed to talk to a doctor about it, telemedicine became much more common in just a few months.
Who has access to telemedicine?
Unfortunately, medical insurance is required to visit the virtual doctor. But the good news is that even if you have the simplest of the Obamacare plans, most of them have the benefits of telemedicine. To find out what your plan is eligible for, visit your insurance company’s website, or better yet, sign in to your health insurance account for details about your benefits. Here they will tell you which telemedicine provider they are from and how to make an appointment. You may have to fill out the regular personal information forms on the telemedicine site again, so it will take a minute the first time you use the platform.
Once logged in, you usually have the option to either schedule a virtual appointment for the future or join an online waiting room to see the next available doctor. Waiting times can vary considerably. Back in April, I visited a telemedicine doctor twice. The first time I was in the “virtual waiting room” for almost two hours, but for my next visit later this month, it only took me 10 minutes to wait.
How to make the most of your virtual visit
Before signing up for a telemedicine session with a doctor, paramedic, or nurse practitioner, there are a few things you need to prepare ahead of time. The doctor’s time is valuable, and your time is valuable too, it will help you make the most of it.
Set up technology in advance
This may sound obvious, but it’s worth mentioning that before you even log in for a virtual visit, you must ensure that whatever device you intend to use is working properly. Additionally, Dr. Sachin Nagrani, Medical Director of Heal (a telemedicine provider), recommends testing the camera and microphone on your phone, tablet, or computer beforehand.
Find a good place
If there is a better Wi-Fi signal in one part of your home than others, try to make an appointment there. Nagrani also suggests going to a place with good lighting (not that you need to plug in a ring light, but it helps if the doctor can actually see you) and it’s quiet. And if you live with other people, you can find a secluded spot for a virtual visit.
Measure your temperature
“If you see your doctor about any type of flu, infection or virus, they will ask you if you have a fever,” Dr. Abe Malkin, founder and medical director of Concierge MD LA told Lifehacker. Take a thermometer and take your temperature before the visit, but also keep it handy in case the doctor wants you to have it measured again during the visit. If you have and use other home monitoring equipment, such as a blood pressure reader or pulse oximeter, check your vital signs before the virtual visit, Malkin advises.
Report all medications you are taking
While you may be able to arrange virtual family doctor visits in some cases, if you use services similar to those provided by your health insurance, chances are you will get a random (albeit qualified) doctor on a different one. the end. This means that they will not personally know your medical history, including the medications you are currently taking.
To prepare for this, make a list of all your prescription drugs (including dosages) before your virtual visit. In addition, according to Malkin, it’s also important to mention any over-the-counter medications you have been taking to treat yourself. “This is very important in order to establish the necessary treatment,” he adds.
List your symptoms
This is what you should do in person as well, but you should definitely go to a telemedicine visit with a list of your symptoms, says Nagrani Lifehacker. Don’t feel like you will just memorize them and be able to mirror them – when you only have a few minutes with a busy doctor (during a pandemic) it can seem like a high blood pressure situation.
Malkin says that in addition to just making a list, you should also be able to tell your doctor about the progression of your symptoms and how long they have lasted. Since a doctor cannot see you in person, it is especially important to tell them what is happening to your body and why you seek help at all.
Make a list of questions to ask your doctor
In addition to listing your symptoms, prepare a list of questions to ask your doctor before your virtual visit. Why are you calling? What do you think a healthcare professional should weigh? Be as specific as possible to provide your doctor with as much information as possible.
Take notes during the meeting
Keep this pen and paper handy because there is more to write down. “Take notes on what your doctor is advising so that you understand and don’t forget after you call,” Nagrani explains. Even if you think you are going to remember the directions and specific recommended dosages, write them down as a backup anyway.
Not everything can be diagnosed and treated over the phone, so your doctor may recommend that you come to the office or even the emergency room in certain situations. (Also, if this is truly an emergency, telemedicine is not the best option.) Doctors can prescribe medications after the virtual visit if you need to.