Benefits of Telemedicine Video Visits

In today’s reality of sheltering at home and practicing social distancing, telemedicine is helping patients and medical providers stay connected.

Through video visits on a smartphone or computer, you can visit with your doctor or therapist remotely in lieu of an in-office appointment. Here are some key advantages telemedicine provides to support your healthcare needs.

Visit from the comfort of your own home

One of the biggest benefits of Telemedicine is convenience – through video visits, you can visit your provider without ever leaving home. Better yet, you can meet with the same provider you would have seen in your local OrthoCarolina office.

Ideal for many types of patients

Telemedicine is a useful way for a variety of patients to connect directly with their providers. The most ideal circumstances for video visits include:

• Patients who were seen at OrthoCarolina for the same body part within the last three years
• Flare ups of a previous injury
• Some MRI follow-ups, as deemed appropriate
• Certain post-operative visits (note: suture or staple removal requires an in-person visit)

Broken bones or other emergent cases that require imaging, such as X-Rays, need to be evaluated in person.

Practice social distancing

Amidst the unpredictability of the COVID-19 outbreak, staying at home and limiting social interactions as much as possible are critical to restoring health in our communities.

Telemedicine helps patients and providers limit their exposure to the coronavirus and contain its spread. Telemedicine also allows patients who may be more susceptible to contracting the virus to access the care they need while minimizing their risk of exposure.

Stay in touch with your provider

We understand that our patients’ concerns, pains, rehabilitations and orthopedic issues did not disappear when COVID-19 altered our medical landscape. Telemedicine allows our providers to connect with patients throughout their recovery journey, even when in-person visits are not feasible. It keeps us in touch with our patients’ needs, their progress and their ailments to ensure they are not alone during this difficult time.

Providers can diagnose patients and prescribe medications

Based on a patient’s medical history and physical exam conducted through Telemedicine, providers can prescribe medications with a video visit. Your provider will ensure there are no changes to your medical history, allergies or medications you are taking. While not every problem can be firmly diagnosed in a video visit, there are many diagnoses your provider can rule in or out to determine the best next step.

Save time and resources

Accessing healthcare far from home can create additional obstacles to obtaining the services you need. By eliminating commutes to and from an office, telemedicine saves you time and minimizes travel expenses.

It’s an optional service

The beauty of Telemedicine is you do not have to participate if you feel uncomfortable utilizing the service. Learn more about how our video visits work here.

Schedule online or call your local office to book your in-person appointment or video visit. 

Jeffrey Dabkowski, PA-C, is a physician assistant at OrthoCarolina’s Sports Medicine Center and serves on the medical staff covering Davidson College Athletics.

This article was originally published on March 30, 2020, and has been updated on January 27, 2021.