I recently used telemedicine for the first time. Honestly, I didn’t have much faith in telemedicine.  I questioned its efficacy. But after a week of social distancing and listening to a variety of governors declaring shelter in place policies, I realized that I could no longer put off getting my prescriptions.   

I am an asthmatic with life threatening allergies.  Cat dander, capsaicin (the chemical that gives peppers their heat), and pollen have caused me to go into anaphylaxis.  They are my kryptonite.  Unfortunately, saying that I have come close to “meeting my maker” is no exaggeration.  Therefore, I am considered to have an increased risk with COVID-19. 

As the Chief Growth Officer of MPWRSource, LLC, and my team and clients depend on me.  What you may not know is that I have a husband, Tim, two children, JoyAnne (9) and J.T. (6), and a fur baby, Snuggie, who depend on me.  Therefore, staying healthy is important.  Between COVID-19 and high pollen accounts—it is no time to play “chicken”.  I must have my meds. 

However, walking into a doctor’s office or urgent care facility does not seem to be a wise choice amid a global pandemic and flu season. I determined telemedicine was the best option, especially given that all I needed was new prescriptions.  I tried the telemedicine provider associated with my insurance company but could not get through.  I panicked; I cannot lie. 

However, a client of ours now offers telemedicine, so I decided to give it a try.  I am so thankful I did!  It was an amazingly simple, efficient and effective process.  Here are the steps I followed: 

1. Gathered pertinent medical information: health insurance information, prescriptions, and medical history. 
2. Went to the physician’s website and accessed the patient portal. 
3. In the patient portal, I downloaded and accessed the app that they use to practice telemedicine. 
4. After accessing and downloading the telemedicine app, I inputted my health insurance information, prescriptions and medical history. 
5. I set up a password and username. 
6. Scheduled an appointment.  (I could have set the appointment up within an hour, but I had a meeting, so I set it up for only a couple of hours out!) 
7. At my scheduled appointment time, I logged back into the telemedicine app, clicked “Visit Physician”, and made sure my video camera and audio were on. 
8. I waited a couple of minutes, and the physician popped up on my screen.  He welcomed me and asked me the typical questions that physicians ask during a medical appointment.  Honestly, I didn’t think there would be much “value add” during this appointment, other than getting the prescriptions that I needed.  I was wrong.  He uncovered some possible health issues that need to be addressed with me that no other doctor ever considered before.  Once the COVID-19 outbreak is under control, I will be getting some lab work done to check on these issues.  Before leaving the appointment, he summed up what I should be doing, sent my prescriptions to the pharmacy of my choosing, as well as ordered lab work to be completed later. 
9. After the appointment, I received an email outlining my care plan. I also received a survey asking about the care that I received. 
10. Two hours after the appointment, my prescriptions were available for pick up at the pharmacy! 

After this experience, I am a believer in telemedicine.  Here are my reasons why: 

1. Often, during flu season, I worry about walking into a healthcare provider’s office fearing I may end up “worse off”.  Now, I have a very viable option to obtain clinical care for uncomplicated ailments during peak flu season.   
2. I can see a health care provider more quickly.  I was shocked at how quickly I was able to book an appointment.  Honestly, I have never had that experience before excepting my children’s pediatrician. 
3. My out of pocket cost was cheaper.  I still had my co-pay, but I didn’t have to pay other associated costs with going to the doctor, such as gas or time spent in a waiting room.  I was able to keep my meetings before and after the telemedicine appointment seamlessly.   
4. I can stay in contact with the healthcare provider by sending him messages after the visit, in which he, or a member of his staff, will reply.  So many times, I have left a healthcare provider’s office without any follow up.  Not in this case. 
5. I did not have to take my children into a doctor’s office with me.  This reduces their chance of picking up a nasty bug or COVID-19.  We all stayed safe and sane.  (Let’s face it.  It is never fun having to take your kiddos to a medical appointment.  They get bored.  They touch everything and immediately put their hands in their mouth or nose, no matter how much you tell them not to.) 

Amid the COVID-19 crisis, something good has already emerged—my fondness for telemedicine.  If you are skeptic like I was, take the plunge.  I believe you will be pleasantly surprised.  If you are a healthcare practice that currently does not offer telemedicine, now is the time to consider offering the service.  MPWRSource has experts in technology and compliance that can get you on your way to offering telemedicine to your patients.   

COVID-19 has certainly increased our fears and showcased our areas of improvement.  As John F. Kennedy, stated, “When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters.  One represents danger, and the other represents opportunity.”  Telemedicine is an opportunity for healthcare providers to continue to care for their patients amid a pandemic.  It is also an opportunity for patients to stay healthy, while getting the care they need when things like social distancing, time constraints, or other obstacles make visiting a healthcare office troublesome.