COVID-19 has changed almost every aspect of our everyday lives; in many cases, the way we work, enjoy entertainment, exercise, and interact has been moved to virtual platforms.

Now, many doctors are joining in on the virtual revolution and making many services available through telemedicine. We’re here to guide you through what services are available and what to do next.

What is telemedicine?

Telemedicine is a convenient way to see your doctor through your phone, tablet or computer. These virtual visits can be used to address a variety of health concerns and manage chronic conditions.

Your Top 8 Questions About Telehealth Answered Here.

“Telemedicine is an especially important tool during the current COVID-19 pandemic,” says Magna Pastrano Lluberes, M.D. “Virtual appointments allow us to identify potential COVID-19 patients while they are safely isolated at home, helping us to prevent the spread of the virus.”

Which types of visits can be conducted through Telemedicine?

A variety of health concerns can be addressed via telemedicine, however, your doctor will let you know if a virtual appointment is the best approach for your care. Some visits that may be conducted virtually are:

Primary Care/Urgent Care

To help manage the following health care needs:

• Minor cold and flu symptoms
• Prescription refills
• UTI treatment
• Sore throat
• Pink eye

Specialists

To help manage care and identify the need for in-person visits:

• Behavioral Health
• Cancer Care
• Cardiovascular
• Endocrinology
• Neurology
• Orthopedics
• Pediatrics
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• Surgical Consultations
• Urology

Many other specialists are also offering virtual appointments. Talk to your doctor about whether or not a virtual appointment is right for you.

When do I need to come into the office?

Although telemedicine is a powerful tool that continues to expand its capabilities, it is important to know that not every medical visit can be completed virtually. Some examples include:

• Patients requiring an EKG or echocardiogram
• Women in their third trimester of pregnancy
• Newborn visits
• Pediatric well visits and vaccinations

If you do need to come into the office, increased infection prevention protocols have been put in place to ensure patient safety.

“For patients coming into our office, we have implemented new polices to ensure their safety,” Tommasina Papa-Rugino, M.D. says. “We no longer ask anyone to wait in the waiting room. Instead, we ask our patients to be masked, then call us from their car, when they arrive at our door, they are screened for COVID-19 and then escorted directly to an examination room.”

In addition, all physician practices and medical centers have adopted an even more rigorous cleaning schedule to ensure all patient areas are properly sanitized.

How do I make an appointment?

To make a telemedicine appointment with your regular doctor or specialist, call your physician’s office to schedule. Your physician will send instructions on how to join your telemedicine appointment.

To find a primary care physician or specialist near you, visit our find-a-doctor page.

If you’re traveling, on-the-go or can’t get into an urgent care or your regular doctor, you can use an on-demand app to video chat with a doctor 24/7. Urgent Care video visits are great for treating cold and flu symptoms, allergies, rashes, hives, pink-eye and more, from anywhere!

For more information on telemedicine, visit our telemedicine page or speak to your physician.

Next Steps and Resources

• Register for telemedicine through HMH Care NOW

The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.