Telemedicine: How Can We (Virtually) Help You?

Telemedicine, or Virtual Visits, have been labeled as the next great leap in Direct Patient Care for quite some time now. So why hasn't it taken off?

The majority of states now have parity laws in regard to commercial insurance coverage for telemedicine visits, which on paper increases access and reimbursement for these visits if you carry commercial insurance coverage. How this occurs and the specifics of what kind of visits are covered vary by state and by carrier, introducing significant challenges to your doctors who are trying to provide this service. Medicare and Medicaid rules are even more rigid, making telemedicine even more difficult for Medicare and Medicaid patients.

I personally have been evaluating how best to integrate Telemedicine into our practice. Nowadays, many if not most of our patients have a smartphone and/or camera-enabled computer, and are comfortable with the idea of video chat. While a phone call cannot take the place of a face-to-face conversation, there would seem to be situations where a Video Chat could provide benefit.

Treating patients in North Texas, our office cares for patients both near and far. While followup care is very important, not all interactions need to be in the office. We have been searching for a way to ease travel and time burdens for our patients who may be an hour or more away from the office.

With this in mind, our office has begun piloting a program for commercially insured patients, offering Telemedicine visits. This is currently offered for patients with a previously established relationship with our practice (i.e. follow-up care). The program is geared towards those patients who require followup, but travel may be inconvenient or difficult. We are using the Doxy.me platform, and so far we have found this to be of benefit to our patients and practice, with a simple and intuitive interface while avoiding the need to download any software.

If you are a patient in our practice and need a routine followup, or need to discuss medications, imaging, or exam results, a Virtual Visit may be a good option. If you are sick or have a change in your health, a proper visit with a physical exam may be better. You will need to schedule a virtual appointment with our office , and may contact Ms. Veronica Briones at 972-265-3406. We will do our best to verify benefits prior to your visit to make sure you are covered for the visit under your commercial plan.

If you would like more information regarding the visit and Doxy.me platform, please click on our Virtual Visits page.

DISCLAIMER: Please note that this blog is intended for Informational Use only and is not intended to replace personal evaluation and treatment by a medical provider. The information provided on this website is not intended as substitute for medical advice or treatment. Please consult your doctor for any information related to your personal care.