Got a call from my cardiologist's office today and wanted to schedule a video visit this next week. It's time for my yearly but have not done any labs as my primary care just retired. I explained to the office worker I don't see the value of a video visit as he can't take my BP my resting heart rate or listen for irregular sounds of whatever.
Is this just keeping monies coming in?

Yes, can't see how that would be of much use, except for his wallet.

Someone has to pay for wifey's Audi........

They trying to move your dollars out of your pockets, into theirs.

There's one somewhere on the meme thread about a lady doing a video gynecologist visit on her computer.

Bottom line: up to you. It’s your heart. One assumes he is either/or, i guess? Greedy, or trying to keep working? He’s probably just trying to survive by seeing patients however he can.

Our office (family practice) is seeing near-all patients by phone. This was directed by our hospital owners, not us, btw. Anyway, business is WAY down, say 60-70% down in volume. Of that, insurance reimburses $15/phone visit. Do the math; that doesn’t keep the lights on. So now we’re converting to video, as medicare at least will pay something like $40-45/visit for this, as they deem it magically of more value. Yes, no, depends on the case, right? (Getting mixed messages from admin regarding private insurance.)

I don’t know the cardiologist’s business situation, but suffice to say, I don’t assume anything untoward by what you’ve described. He may well have you stop by his lab/some lab and give blood, submit home bp readings, any variety of make-do ways of making the best of it.

Tidbit: It’s hard for many to accept, but say 70-80% (made up statistic) of an accurate diagnosis and effective treatment regimens is NOT exam, is NOT lab results. It is giving/taking a good history. Communication.

You are going to have to take an active role in your own health care. Find a friend who can take your resting BP and heart rate. If they are qualified, have them listen to lung sounds. Then talk with the doc and relay the info when you are on the video.

I nearly died early March. Escaped the hospital on 17 March just as they were being locked down. Have had one face-to-face follow up visit to remove staples. 7 or 8 video visits using three different video technologies. 2 or 3 of the video visits were "not-well" visits. I was able to communicate sufficient info to my PCP that he was able prescribe appropriate meds to resolve the issue.

They are a workable option. However, you can not put all responsibility on the doc...

For me, for the specialists where it is a 90-100 mile, 2-3 hour round trip, I'd rather do a video visit for the follow up visit "Yeah, everything is O.K." than spend the time and gas money for face to face.

Buddy sent this a couple days ago

Without targeted lab work completed for his prep and ready for reference, and without ability to measure important physical factors in the moment or do an EKG, what will a cardiologist be able to diagnose and treat through a video confernce? Would not a phone talk be just about the same?

There are codes for video, not audio.

DF

I'm not very knowledgeable about these things - does that mean that the Doc can charge and colletc $$ mre effectively for a video conference?

Had a "cardiologist visit" this morning, over the phone. I bet some high priced phone sex 1-900 calls cost less.

Yep.

Not for audio, just video.

New stuff thanks to the C-19 fiasco.

DF

I think a lot of things are going to change as a result of this China flu fiasco. Doctor's offices, hospitals, etc. are a prime place to catch whatever is going around. I think virtual or video visits will become more common in the future. Yes there are lots of questions and challenges to be worked out and it will take time for them to evolve into a workable solution. My mom is 91 years old and just had a doctor visit on her computer. She has home health care so she doesn't have to leave home to have her vitals and INR checked. Home health care nurse set up the computer and took vitals for tne doctor. I can see something like this in the future. Have your blood pressure, temperature, heart rate and oxygen level ready for the appointment. Doctor will talk with you and observe you to determine what followup is needed. This has the potential to reduce pressure on emergency rooms and reduce exposure to diseases especially among elderly people. There are lots of things to be worked out and it will be abused by greedy health care providers. Eventually most doctor visits will be over the computer. Just my opinion and worth what you paid for it.

Be difficult to send vials of blood by video. They usually draw at least 4 when I go in.

Telemedicine has been around for a while, even international where third world patients can be evaluated by world renowned specialists.

The C-19 situation has thrust it into the limelight. I don’t think it’s going away.

Not a bad thing.

DF

Company i work for partnered with Univ of MS Medical for telehealth.

Free to employees and spouse and kids.

App on iPhone.

Has its limits. Sure beats trying to get to doctor for simple things.

Did that today and it was alot easier than driving to the office, waiting and waiting some more just to get my meds updated. Had an appt. and Dr. called right at the set time, easy peasy.

I've got a virtual appointment with my md next monday. Had my labs drawn today, results are already posted on the 'net.

I'm not a gynecologist but I could take a peak .

I'd prefer if most of my Dr appointments could be done online. I hate the long waits at the office, dealing with some of the nurses, and being around all the other sick people because I'm on immunosuppressants.

I can take my own vitals at home and describe my symptoms pretty well. A lot of times I just need a referral, labs ordered, or a script refilled. Other times I really do need to be seen in person and I took that for granted until recently when I couldn't seem to make that happen. Ideally after this we'll be able to be seen online for simple things and still be able to come in when we want to or need to.

Drs have so much paperwork and other beurocratic crap to deal with these days they spend most of a visit with their nose in the laptop trying to fill in the electronic medical record so the government can have access to everything about you one day. I think quality of care has gone down since electronic medical records. I'll bet most Drs would rather practice medicine than chart so much on a laptop too.

Bb