How to Get the Most Out of Your Telemedicine Appointment

We want you to get the care you need while protecting {our patients} you and our staff during this challenging time. Therefore, in response to the COVID-19 crisis and an active flu season, we’re offering telemedicine services.

Are you new to telemedicine? Don’t worry; we’ll review who is an appropriate candidate for telemedicine, how it works, and how to make the most out of your telemedicine appointment.

What Is Telemedicine?

Telemedicine is a great option for many health care providers, particularly when patients are unable to come into the office. It allows us to communicate with patients through their computers or mobile devices, providing “virtual” appointments.

It’s a simple, easy process, and we will provide the same high-quality health care you’ve come to expect from us. We’ll walk you through the process. It’s simple, straightforward and very easy to communicate through the computer and mobile interfaces.

How Does Telemedicine Work?

We’ll provide you with a secure link that will take you to a site where you can see your provider on the computer screen (for those that have video access) or simply speak with your provider over the phone. You’ll be able to ask questions just as you would in “real life.” Through telemedicine, we can take care of most follow-up appointments that do not require physical examinations.

Who Should Schedule Telemedicine Appointments?

While telemedicine appointments are not appropriate for those who need to have a physical exam, they are recommended for follow-ups, general questions about contraception or hormone replacement, lactation concerns, and other similar situations. When you call our office to make an appointment, they will tell you if telemedicine is a good option for you.

If telemedicine is appropriate, we will help you schedule an appointment.

Because of the current COVID-19 situation, many insurance companies are paying for this care option. If you have any detailed questions about your coverage, you should consult with your insurance carrier before the telemedicine appointment.

In-Office Appointments

If your issue is not one that can be resolved over telemedicine, we are still accepting in-office appointments. However, we have had to adjust our policies and procedures. We’ve done this because the safety of our patients and staff will always come first.

This means that if you have possible symptoms of COVID-19 or the flu, you need to call before your appointment. These symptoms include:

• Fever
• Coughing
• Shortness of breath
• Extreme fatigue

When you speak to us, we’ll determine if it’s best for you to reschedule your appointment or take advantage of our telemedicine option.

For safety, we’re allowing only one companion with patients at any appointment. We recommend that children NOT come to your appointment unless there is no other option.

Tips for an Effective Telemedicine Appointment

We always want you to get the most out of your visit, and telemedicine is no exception. Therefore, we’ve provided this useful advice on how to have an effective and comprehensive telemedicine appointment:

1. Test your microphone before your appointment.

There are several places online where you can test your microphone, or you can check it through your computer or tablet’s control panel area to be sure it’s working properly.

2. Make sure you have quiet surroundings.

In some cases, background noise is easily picked up by a microphone. Try to find a quiet room where you can shut the door so we can be sure that we hear each other clearly. This is your private health information. We will be in a private room either in the office or our home. You should try to be in a place where you have privacy too.

3. Make sure you have a high-quality webcam.

Like the microphone, it’s always a good idea to test out the webcam before your appointment.

4. Be sure your Wifi connection is reliable or use an Ethernet.

This is important because most wired connections are a lot less prone to interruptions or issues than Wifi ones. If you don’t have an Ethernet cable, then make sure you have reliable Wifi.

5. Make sure your camera is at eye-level.

We want to be sure we can see you clearly. A part of being engaged in a video telemedicine visit is to be able to have eye contact.

6. Close any programs you’re not using.

Sometimes, streaming utilizes a lot of bandwidth. This is a good time to make sure you don’t have unneeded windows or tabs open. We suggest your closing every program except, of course, the one running the telemedicine visit.

7. Choose decent lighting.

We want to see your face clearly! You should experiment with the best places to conduct the telemedicine visits, and make sure that the lighting highlights your face but doesn’t cause a glare on the web camera.

8. Plug in your computer, tablet or other mobile device.

At least, make sure they’re fully charged. The last thing you want during a telemedicine visit is your device battery to die in the middle of the appointment or to put things on hold while you have to plug in your device. Taking this moment of preparation will help maximize your time spent during the telemedicine visit.

9. If possible, make sure your pets don’t interrupt.

We love animals! Many times, they’re curious and want attention, and when you’re on the computer, it seems they often see this as a perfect opportunity to play or simply jump on your desk.

We support your furry friends, but we also want to make sure you get the most out of your appointment. If you think your pet is likely to interrupt, consider putting them in another room or shut your door.

10. Make a list of questions you’d like to ask us.

We recommend this for all visits, both in-person and on the computer. It’s easy to forget the questions you want or need to ask. Having a list on hand helps you have a comprehensive visit.

As always, just like our in-office visits, we are dedicated to taking the time to answer any question you may have!

11. Remember to let the app share your screen.

The app that we send will need to access your webcam in order for us to communicate face-to-face. Be sure to allow it if you see the prompt in a pop-up screen.

If you still have questions, we encourage you to ask those who schedule your telemedicine appointment.

We want to assure you that the process is very simple, streamlined and designed to help support you.

What We’re Doing to Protect You

We are doing everything possible to ensure everyone’s safety. We believe that quality care is more important now than ever.

In addition to telemedicine and wearing PPE (personal protective equipment) we’re also extensively—and repeatedly—cleaning after all patient visits. This includes waiting rooms, restrooms and exam rooms.

We’re also pre-screening our patients before they have an in-person appointment.

Chapel Hill OBGYN: We’re Always Here for You

We understand that change is rarely easy, and between the coronavirus and an active flu season, we’ve had to adjust the way we provide for our patients. But we will never compromise quality care.

We want you to know that we are doing all this to protect you and help ensure everyone is safe.

We urge you to take care of yourself and all those you love. Follow state and local guidelines, only depend upon reliable information from official sources.

If you have any questions, we encourage you to contact us.

 

For more than 40 years, Chapel Hill OBGYN has served women in the Triangle area, sharing the joy of little miracles and supporting them during challenges. Our board-certified physicians and certified nurse midwives bring together the personal experience and convenience of a private practice with the state-of-the-art resources found at larger organizations. To schedule an appointment, please contact us for more information.