Tag Archives: telemedicine

Telemedicine vs. Office Visits: Which One Do You Need?

By: STEPHANIE MCKENNEY GROFF, D.O.

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, MPCP has expanded our telemedicine services to give more people access to safe, convenient healthcare. Many of our patients have come to appreciate telemedicine as an alternative to office visits, receiving care in the privacy of their homes. The American Academy of Family Physicians supports telemedicine as an appropriate means of improving health. MPCP offers virtual visits during regular office hours, evenings and weekends.

Telemedicine is ideal for many types of medical appointments, but not for all of them. So when should you schedule an online visit and when should you see your doctor in-person? Here are some helpful guidelines.

Telemedicine visits are good for:

● Follow-up visits: If you’ve already seen your doctor about an illness or injury, follow-up visits using telehealth can help them monitor your progress.

● Review of lab work and imaging results: If your doctor ordered blood work or imaging to assess your concerns or symptoms, a telemedicine visit can give you adequate time to review the results and have your questions answered.

● Prescription refills: If you regularly take medication and your health hasn’t changed, your doctor can often refill your prescription after an online visit.

● Monitoring chronic conditions: Your doctor may be able to monitor a chronic health condition, such as diabetes, heart disease or asthma, and help you manage it without seeing you in the office.

● Counseling and other mental health services: Discussions about mental health, including anxiety and depression, are the top reasons people use telemedicine. Your MPCP doctor may be able to help you with these conditions and can refer you to mental health professionals if needed.

In-person visits are better for:

● Your first time seeing a doctor: It’s important to meet your new doctor so you can start building a relationship and feel comfortable with them. Also, seeing you in-person gives your doctor a baseline understanding of your health and what treatments you may need going forward.

● Physical exams: Are you concerned about a lump you found? Have pain in your joints? Doctors are skilled at recognizing signs and symptoms of disease and will understand what follow-up tests or treatment you need.

● Need for blood tests, X-rays and other imaging scans: A visit in the office allows your doctor to perform an exam to figure out which tests will be best to help with your diagnosis.

● You experience a new symptom to an existing condition: If you have a chronic condition like diabetes or heart disease, even if it is under control, your situation can change. If you notice a new symptom, you should schedule a face-to-face with your doctor.

How to schedule a telemedicine visit

To schedule an appointment during regular hours, just call your MPCP office. A medical assistant will call you before your appointment to help you connect and provide instructions on how to access the video platform that will be utilized during your visit. You may also be advised to collect your medication bottles, gather information such as your blood sugar or blood pressure logs. The medical assistant may ask you to take your temperature, weigh yourself, or provide a blood pressure reading prior to your visit.

MPCP also offers evening and weekend telemedicine visits for acute care (illness or injury) to better fit your schedule. Click here for office hours.  Call 410-729-3368 to schedule an after-hours appointment.

 

Dr. McKenney Groff holds her medical degree from Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine and is certified by the American Academy of Family Physicians. She cares for patients in MPCP’s Annapolis office.

 

Telemedicine: Fast, Convenient Care

By: ARIEL WARDEN-JARRETT, M.D., FAAFP, Clinical Director, After Hours Telemedicine

At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, MPCP expanded our telemedicine services to give more patients access to safe healthcare. Since then, many of our patients have come to appreciate telemedicine as a fast, convenient alternative to office visits.

Telemedicine allows you and your provider to see each other while you talk together. It can be scheduled during regular office hours, but after-hours and weekend appointments are also available. Telemedicine isn’t right for some appointments – such as physical exams or pre-ops – but it’s ideal for many others. Here are some reasons our patients call for telemedicine visits:

  • Cold or flu symptoms
  • Covid symptoms
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Medication refills or changes
  • Discuss test/imaging results
  • Anxiety/depression

What equipment do I need for a telemedicine visit?
You just need your smartphone, an iPad, or a home computer with a camera and microphone. MPCP uses Zoom and a few other HIPAA-safe apps to connect with patients. It also helps if you have a scale or blood pressure monitor to help provide your provider with home vital signs.

Is telemedicine really effective?
Most of our patients say it works very well for most appointments. Your doctor will listen to your symptoms and ask questions, just as if you were in one of our exam rooms. Using video, your doctor will be able to see things that will help make a diagnosis. But if there is a concern at the end of your visit that something is still unclear, your doctor will have you come into the office as safely as possible for a face-to-face evaluation.

Can I get a prescription filled from the visit?
Yes, your provider can send any necessary prescriptions to your pharmacy electronically. If you need blood tests, X-rays or other tests, your provider will arrange for you to get them safely.

How do I schedule a telemedicine visit?
You can simply call your MPCP office to schedule a telemedicine visit. If you prefer a particular video platform, just let the scheduler know when you make your appointment. Otherwise, a medical assistant will call you before your appointment to help you connect. You may also be advised to collect your medication bottles, gather information such as your blood sugar or blood pressure logs, and to take your temperature or weigh yourself prior to your visit.

What about after-hour appointments?
MPCP offers evening and weekend telemedicine visits for acute care (illness or injury) to better fit your schedule. Appointments can be scheduled Monday to Friday 5-10 pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 4 pm. Call 410-729-3368 to schedule an after-hours telemedicine appointment.

Will my insurance cover telemedicine visits?
Yes, insurance companies are encouraging doctors to connect with their patients through telemedicine. However, deductibles and co-pays may be applied. You should check with your insurance company as it relates to your specific coverage.

 

Dr. Warden-Jarrett is a Maryland Primary Care Physicians, LLC partner and is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. She received her medical degree from the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. She sees patients in MPCP’s Bowie office.

 

Telemedicine: Evenings, Weekends, and Daytime Hours

By: ARIEL WARDEN-JARRETT, M.D.

Did you know that since the start of the pandemic, MPCP created ways to be more available to meet your medical needs? MPCP offers telemedicine visits to enable you to get medical care right in the comfort of your own home. This not only lowers your risk of being exposed to the coronavirus but offers a very convenient way of getting care. Telemedicine allows you and your provider to see each other while you talk together. It can be scheduled during regular office hours, but after-hours and weekend appointments are also available.

What equipment do I need for a telemedicine visit?
You just need your smartphone, an iPad, or a home computer with a camera and microphone. MPCP uses Zoom and a few other HIPAA-safe apps to connect with patients.

Is telemedicine really effective?
Most of our patients say it works very well for most appointments. Your doctor will listen to your symptoms and ask questions, just as if you were in one of our exam rooms. Using video, your doctor will be able to see things that will help make a diagnosis. But if there is a concern at the end of your visit that something is still unclear, your doctor will have you come into the office as safely as possible for a face-to-face evaluation.

Can I get a prescription filled from the visit?
Yes, your provider can send any necessary prescriptions to your pharmacy electronically. If you need blood tests, X-rays or other tests, your provider will arrange for you to get them safely.

How do I schedule a telemedicine visit?
You can simply call your MPCP office to schedule a telemedicine visit. If you prefer a particular video platform, just let the scheduler know when you make your appointment. Otherwise, a medical assistant will call you before your appointment to help you connect. You may also be advised to collect your medication bottles, gather information such as your blood sugar or blood pressure logs, and to take your temperature or weigh yourself prior to your visit.

What about after-hour appointments?
MPCP offers evening and weekend telemedicine visits for acute care (illness or injury) to better fit your schedule. Appointments can be scheduled Monday to Friday 5-10 pm, and Saturday and Sunday 10 am – 4 pm. Call 410-729-3368 to schedule an after-hours telemedicine appointment, or see this video to learn more.

Will my insurance cover telemedicine visits?
Yes, insurance companies are encouraging doctors to connect with their patients through telemedicine. However, deductibles and co-pays may be applied. You should check with your insurance company as it relates to your specific coverage.

Ariel Warden-Jarrett, M.D.Dr. Warden-Jarrett is a Maryland Primary Care Physicians, LLC partner and is certified by the American Board of Family Medicine. She holds her medical degree from George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and sees patients in the Bowie office.

Telemedicine Q&A

What is telemedicine?

Telemedicine is health care that is done through the video feature of your cell phone or home computer. MPCP is currently using Zoom, Google Duo, FaceTime, Skype and other apps to connect with patients. With these features, you can see your provider and your provider can see you while you talk together.

Why is MPCP using telemedicine?

During this time of coronavirus, telemedicine is a way for us to give you medical care up close but from a safe distance. It lets us keep in touch with our patients, manage ongoing health issues, and address new concerns. Telemedicine also helps people get care in their own homes, decreasing the number who need to go to the emergency room or the hospital.

How can my doctor really know what’s wrong if I don’t see him or her in person?

Your doctor will listen to your symptoms and ask questions, just as if you were in one of our exam rooms. Using video, your doctor will be able to see things that will help make a diagnosis. Those two things work surprisingly well much of the time. But if there is a concern at the end of your telemedicine visit that something is still unclear, your doctor will have you come into the office in as safe a way as possible for a face-to-face evaluation.

What equipment do I need to do a telemedicine visit?

You just need your smartphone, an iPad, or a home computer with a camera and microphone. If you don’t have any of those things, we can simply talk with you by telephone instead.

Can I get a prescription filled from the visit?

Yes, your provider can send any necessary prescriptions to your pharmacy electronically. If you need blood tests, X-rays or other tests, your provider will arrange for you to get them safely.

How do I schedule a telemedicine visit?

You can simply call your MPCP office to schedule a telemedicine visit. If you prefer a particular video platform, just let the scheduler know when you make your appointment. Otherwise, a medical assistant will call you before your appointment to help you connect for your televisit. You may also be advised to collect your medication bottles, gather information such as your blood sugar or blood pressure logs, and to take your temperature or weigh yourself prior to your visit.

Will my insurance cover the visit?

Yes, insurance companies are encouraging doctors to connect with their patients through telemedicine.