Have you ever had a medical appointment with your physician or healthcare provider via telemedicine? Maybe you have one coming up and are concerned about how to make the most of it.
Telemedicine has come into its own as a valuable health care option, especially for seniors, people who are homebound, people in rural areas, and anyone with a busy life that makes it difficult to carve out time for an in-person doctor’s appointment. Our ever-advancing technology has made telemedicine possible for more patients and their care providers, and its popularity has been growing in the wake of a pandemic that required social distancing to limit the spread of disease.
Having said that, many people still have never had a telemedicine appointment, so a little guidance is in order. Here’s what to keep in mind.
Prepare your paperwork
First, gather any documents you may need during your appointment. This includes health insurance information, a list of your medications or the prescription bottles themselves, records of specialist appointments, copies of test results, and the like. Just as you would if you were meeting your doctor in person, you want to be prepared with having material relevant to your discussion close at hand.
You should also make a list beforehand of any symptoms you’re experiencing and any particular questions you want to ask your health care provider so you don’t forget anything. The more detail you have ready for the appointment, the better. Doctors can provide better care when you’re an involved participant in your own healthcare.
If you have the means, you may want to weigh yourself and measure your blood pressure and pulse before your appointment—your healthcare team may ask you for these vital signs. However, don’t worry about it if you don’t have a scale or blood pressure monitor.
Choose a private location
It’s important to the success of a telemedicine visit that you find a suitable room in your home to carry out the conversation. This means selecting a quiet spot where there’s minimal or no outside noise. It should be a room that you feel comfortable in and have sufficient privacy. Pay attention to the temperature of the location and bring a sweater with you if you think you may need it. You don’t want to have to open a window for air and risk loud noise from the street making it difficult to hear.
Here’s another point on the subject of confidentiality and location: Unless you’re going to be home alone, it’s an excellent idea to let others in your household know that you’re going to be doing a virtual visit and must not be disturbed during that time.
Test your technology
If you’re not very technologically savvy, don’t fret. These days, participating in a telehealth meeting is fairly intuitive—just follow the instructions that your health care provider’s office sends to you. This may involve a testing the technology ahead of the appointment to ensure your computer’s (or smartphone’s) camera and microphone are working properly. If you need assistance to try out the app or software, reach out to your doctor’s office or enlist a friend.
It’s critical to have proper tech available. For a video visit, you’ll need a computer, smartphone or tablet that has a video camera, speaker and microphone for two-way video and audio communication. Be sure that your volume is set to a reasonable level. If you have access to a headset, it may improve your ability to hear but be sure that you’re confident using it.
Remember, your cell phone or internet connection should be sufficiently fast to use video. Alternatively, you may simply have a telephone appointment.
Set the stage
Once you find the perfect space, set it up for your virtual visit. If there isn’t already a desk and chair there, find a suitable table that will accommodate your laptop or tablet and a supportive chair. Play with the lighting and position of the screen so that your face isn’t going to be in darkness. You might want to bring in a different lamp or move to take advantage of light coming in a window.
While you’re at it, move the computer or tablet screen so that you can be seen properly. Look behind you to determine what your doctor will see in your surroundings. You don’t want the distraction of an unmade bed, an open closet or something else that can divert attention.
Have you got paper and a pen ready to make any notes during the meeting? Do you have a surface that you can use to write on? Mentally walk through the appointment and decide what else you might need to set the stage in advance.
Imagine you’re there in person
Relax and try to treat your virtual appointment as much like a regular visit to your physician’s office as possible. Dress like you would be if you were going out the door to meet your health care provider. Take a support person with you to the telemedicine appointment if this is what you would normally do. There’s nothing wrong with that at all and it may bring you more comfort in the situation.
With a little preparation, your telemedicine visit should go just fine. In fact, you may find that you prefer meeting your health care provider from your home.