What to Expect During Your Telemedicine Visit

Telemedicine is sweeping this high-tech nation. Having a video conference with a doctor is the latest in medicine. According to The Wall Street Journal, more than 15 million Americans received some kind of medical care remotely last year. The American Telemedicine Association predicts that these numbers will increase by approximately 30 percent this year. Along with the number of virtual visits, the industry has seen an increase in employers who offer telemedicine benefits, and hospitals and physician groups who have telemedicine programs.

BayCare is part of this growing trend. BayCareAnywhere^® was launched in 2016. Despite knowing how it works and the loyalty of a brand like BayCare, you might be asking yourself, what can I expect from a telemedicine visit?

First, you should expect 24/7 access to a live doctor, 365 days a year. But not just any doctor, one who is trained on the technical platform and is board-certified to help diagnose colds, flu, fever, rash, various eye infections, sinus infections, migraines and more.

Physicians are trained on the best ways to talk their patients through the examination and any limitations they might have. Appearance, body language and clarity are very important during a telemedicine visit.

After a physician checks their Internet connection, sound level and headset connection, they’ll enter a platform where they’re ready to receive patients. Once a patient has answered all necessary triage questions, including pictures and history when applicable, they enter a virtual waiting room where they wait to connect with a physician. During a telemedicine visit, a physician might ask a variety of questions to help better understand the patient’s symptoms. Physicians are also able to view medical records on a dual screen for more detailed information.

Once the physician has the necessary information from triage, they’ll begin to walk the patient through an examination. The physician will have them feel their sinuses, watch them breathe, tell them to push on their ears, zoom in on the eyes or nose or have them cough.

At the end of a visit, a physician can supply you with a note for work or school, write a prescription and potentially make notes in the patient’s medical record for future visits. Patients will also be contacted by a telemedicine care coordinator 48 hours after their visit. If BayCareAnywhere isn’t able to help accurately diagnose the cause of the patient’s symptoms, they might suggest using BayCare Urgent Care or scheduling a follow-up visit with a physician. If urgent care is suggested, a credit is given for the cost of the BayCareAnywhere visit.

BayCareAnywhere gives you 24/7 access to a live doctor so that you can get on the fast track to getting better. All you need is a smartphone, tablet or a computer with a webcam and BayCareAnywhere will give you instant access to a board-certified doctor for minor illnesses and injuries in adults and kids age 2 and older. Online health care has never been easier with our virtual doctor app.