What is telehealth?
Telehealth is a way to visit with healthcare providers, such as your doctor or nurse practitioner. You can talk to your provider from any place, including your home. You don’t go to a clinic or hospital.
How do I use telehealth?
- You talk to your provider by phone, computer, or tablet.
- Video is often used so you and your provider can see each other.
How does telehealth help me?
- You don’t have to go to a clinic or hospital to see your provider.
- You won’t risk getting sick from other people.
Can telehealth be bad for me?
- You and your provider won’t be in the same room, so it may feel different than an office visit.
- Your provider cannot examine you as closely during a telehealth visit like they can at an office visit. There may be things your provider is not able to adequately examine. Therefore, it is important to maintain your follow up appointments and communicate changes promptly to your provider.
- Your provider may decide you still need an office visit.
- Technical problems may interrupt or stop your visit before you are done.
Will my telehealth visit be private?
- We will not record visits with your provider.
- If people are close to you, they may hear something you did not want them to know. You should be in a private place, so other people cannot hear you.
- Your provider will tell you if someone else from their office can hear or see you.
- We use telehealth technology that is designed to protect your privacy.
- If you use the Internet for telehealth, use a network that is private and secure.
- Anytime you use technology there is a very small chance that someone could attempt to hear or see your telehealth visit. We abide by HIPPA laws and take every precaution possible to minimize this.
How do I prepare for my telehealth visit?
- After you schedule your appointment, you will receive a link.
- Prior to your appointment, please obtain and write down your vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, temperate and oxygen saturation).
- The provider will review your vital signs during the visit
- If you cannot obtain the vital signs before your appointment, do not worry we will continue with the visit.
What if I want an office visit, not a telehealth visit?
- For now, almost all visits are by telehealth. You cannot schedule an office visit now, until our physical location is open.
- You must wait until the office opens for all other appointments. We expect to open this Summer/Fall 2022.
What if I try telehealth and don’t like it?
- You can stop using telehealth any time, even during a telehealth visit.
- You can still get an office visit if you no longer want a telehealth visit. But until the office opens for all appointments, you will get an office visit only for one of the reasons listed above.
- If you decide you do not want to use telehealth again:
- call 240-720-7797 and say you want to stop, OR
- sign into your patient portal and send the office a message.
- It will be as if you never signed this form.
How much does a telehealth visit cost?
- What you pay depends on your insurance.
- A telehealth visit will not cost any more than an office visit.
- If your provider decides you need an office visit in addition to your telehealth visit, you may have to pay for both visits.
