TELEMEDICINE vs OFFICE VISITS FOR ARTHRITIS
Modern medicine has evolved over time with technology. Innovations have paved the way for providing you options for how you receive your healthcare. Rather than a traditional office visit where you come to the doctor’s office for evaluation and treatment of various medical conditions, we have found that many medical issues can be handled virtually.
“Telemedicine” refers to a doctor’s visit condicted virtually. This means that you receive medical care without a faceto-face encounter. You “meet” your physician over the phone or by video. Here are some pros and cons to help you decide if telemedicine is right for you.
- Telemedicine is convenient: Rather than having to get to your doctor’s office and sitting in a crowded waiting room, telemedicine offers you the ability to be evaluated by your doctor while you are at home or at another secure location of your choice.
- Telelemedicine evaluations have limits: During a phone or video visit, your doctor cannot perform a physical examination, which is essential for diagnosing new injuries to the muscles, bones, or joints. However, your doctor may be able to gather enough from your discussion to order tests or advise you to come in to the office, go to urgent care, or get to the emergency room.
- Telelmedicine can be efficient: When you have questions about your arthritis or want to review test results, a televisit is a good option for you rather than an office visit. If you just had surgery, telemedicine may be able to cut down the number of routine postsurgical follow up office appointments you need.
- Telemedicine can be inefficient: Without a physical examination, your doctor may get the wrong impression of what tests you need. In this scenario, you may have to get more tests than you would have if you had gone into the office the first time.
- You cannot get injections: For arthritis that requires procedures, a telehealth visit will not meet your needs for injections, and may delay your care because you will end up waiting for the televisit and then have to schedule the office visit.
- Telemedicine can be available after hours: depending on your healthcare system and your doctor’s office, you may be able to set up a virtual visit in the early morning, evening, weekend, or perhaps anytime.
- Telemedicine is likely going to have an associated cost: A virtual visit can have a co-pay that is as much as an office visit. If you have a televisit and it is determined that you need to be seen in the office, this could cause an increase in your out-of pocket expense.
- Telemedicine is evolving: The security, billing, privacy, and quality of telehealth will continue to improve over time. In the near future, you may have tools or instruments at home that can assist your doctor in diagnosing you more accurately. Also, there may be added services offered through telehealth that were not previously available through traditional office care.
You can talk to your insurance carrier and your doctor’s office to see what virtual healthcare options are currently available to you. Find out what your cost share will be, and make sure that your doctor will be willing to see you in the office as soon as possible if the telehealth visit does not resolve your medical issue.
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