Covid-19 and Telehealth

[Susie2310]

Due to the Covid 19 problem some patients are being offered the choice of video appointments with their health care providers. However, in my experience, not all patients are able to do this, for a number of reasons, such as not possessing the relevant smart phone etc., and not all patients are able to make their computer (if they have one) work with the technologies currently available for video appointments. Some patients do not want to have video appointments as a personal choice.

Although telehealth is widely used in the home setting, e.g. for wireless transmission of health care data from patients' various medical devices to their medical provider, to my knowledge this usually doesn't require patients' to be technologically involved in the process more than being able to read an instruction manual in order to provide basic set up for their device. As far as I know, all the necessary equipment is provided for them by the companies that supply the medical equipment according to the patients' medical insurance.

We are seeing iPads being used for family members to communicate with hospitalized patients due to Covid 19, but what happens if the patient's family member doesn't own the technology necessary for this or possess the ability to use this technology? If the answer is: "Well, then they can't communicate with the patient," I find this problematic on a number of levels.

So, to me, this situation is not free of dilemmas and ethical questions/concerns. For those of us who have ourselves experienced being patients or family members in these types of situations, how do we feel and what are our experiences? What difficulties do we see?

[askater112]

My son uses zoom for his counseling and psychiatrist appt. We’ve on two occasions had connection difficulties.

On those occasions both parties had I phones. Used FaceTime.

Our PCP cancelled my husbands physical and evaluation of an abnormal lesion on the surface of his skin 3 times. Last time being Friday of last week. I told my husband don’t allow them to cancel appt again. Thus he called office. At which time they offered telemedicine.

I know the importance of physical exams. Auscultation of lungs and such.

I personally have never used zoom. I tried once to connect w/ a group of fiends and had technical problems. But no surprise—I’m technically challenged.

[Susie2310]

19 minutes ago, askater112 said:

Our PCP cancelled my husbands physical and evaluation of an abnormal lesion on the surface of his skin 3 times. Last time being Friday of last week. I told my husband don’t allow them to cancel appt again. Thus he called office. At which time they offered telemedicine.

Please disregard this if it doesn't apply, but I was wondering if it is possible for your husband to see a dermatologist directly. At the practice I belong to dermatologists are seeing patients in the office. I know different states are doing things differently.

[askater112]

Susie2310-

When my husband called me to tell me they cancelled his appt. I contacted a dermatologist. They were seeing patients in person.

When pcp called back and said telemedicine. He declined appt bc he was comcerned Dr could not see well through telemedicine and accurately diagnose lesion. He than called dermatologist and made an in person appt.