Feb 13, 2023
With Courtney Stevens, Director of Virtual Care at Henry Ford Health
Are you familiar with the term “telemedicine?” Perhaps you or a family member have used telemedicine in the past for non-emergency medical issues. But if you’re not familiar with Telemedicine, it’s the ability for medical personnel to consult, treat, and monitor their patients remotely using advanced telecommunication tools. Instead of waiting days or even weeks to get in to see your doctor in person, Telemedicine offers the ability to be seen, diagnosed, and treated within hours. Using your smartphone, tablet, or computer, patients can simply download an app and communicate “face to face” with their doctors, nurses, and therapists. The reassuring presence of a doctor who can provide immediate medical care and advice in diagnosing and treating a variety of non-emergency medical conditions is an enormous benefit for both the patient and the medical staff. Patient information remains confidential, costs are reduced, and the overall patient experience can be greatly improved by eliminating the commute and time spent in the doctor’s office waiting to be seen. Telemedicine can help the medical team by alleviating the stress of healthcare professionals who are overwhelmed trying to keep up with increasing patient demands. By improving overall efficiency in seeing and treating patients in a timely manner, many physicians are now offering their patients 24/7 access to medical care with an “on-call doctor.” If you are looking for ways to gain increased access to your medical care provider, then you’ll want to listen to my interview with Courtney Stevens, the Director of Virtual Care at Henry Ford Health.
What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
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What is Telemedicine, and how does it work?
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How does someone make an appointment for the first time on Telemedicine?
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How does Telemedicine protect our privacy and security?
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Do most doctors at Henry Ford Health offer Telemedicine?
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How has Telemedicine evolved over the past couple of years?
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What are the reasons for most Telemedicine visits?
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What is the typical fee for a Telemedicine visit?
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What is the average turnaround time from requesting a telemedicine visit to being able to speak with a doctor?
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What are some of the drawbacks of Telemedicine, and how can these be solved?
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What is digital literacy?
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What are the many specialties and medicines that Telemedicine can offer?
Today’s Takeaway:
Over the past few years, medical care providers are learning how they can greatly improve patient care and follow-up through the use of Telemedicine. Being able to offer their patients an option for 24/7 care and monitoring alleviates much of the strain on overburdened medical staff and it creates a cost-effective and immediate response for many non-emergency medical issues. Veterinarians are now even beginning to offer virtual services as well. Although Telemedicine allows you to discuss non-emergency medical care with a doctor by phone or online at a time that’s convenient for you, it doesn’t always replace the need for in-person doctor visits. There are certain services that cannot be provided through Telemedicine. For example, healthcare professionals don’t have the ability to perform routine lab work on blood or urine samples, or test a patient’s heart rate and blood pressure. If you want to ensure that you are getting the best medical care available, use Telemedicine services in combination with your in-person doctor visits. You can take advantage of Telemedicine while still having your in-person physician provider oversee your medical care. Remember that every single day is a gift and the increased accessibility that Telemedicine offers is the gift that allows us to give our physical and mental health the priority it deserves. I’m Florine Mark and that’s “Today’s Takeaway.”
Quotes:
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“What we're really referring to is a provider and a patient connecting, breaking down the barriers of space and time so that they no longer need to be in the same clinical room, or even the same geography.” — Courtney
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“We can offer convenient and excellent health care for patients from the convenience of their homes.” — Courtney
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“Think of it as a virtual urgent care.” — Courtney
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“They don't need to come to a physical brick and mortar, they are able to do that from the convenience of their home or their local gym or work and still get that care they need to be on the road to recovery.” — Courtney
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“It’s readily available, which is a great opportunity.” — Courtney
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“And that's the beauty of being able to offer, the scheduled option with any of our providers across the organization is you're able to have that continuity of care with the provider and be able to see them from either in-person to a video or virtual visit.” — Courtney
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