3 tips to consider that may help make the most of telehealth
Virtual care
When a health issue arises, it can be difficult to find the time or energy to schedule an in-person appointment or drive to your nearest medical facility, especially when you’re not feeling well.
Connecting with a doctor virtually, in the comfort of your home, may help you access care more conveniently, while helping you save time and money.
Virtual visits may often last less than 20 minutes and can connect you with a doctor on demand, almost anywhere and anytime. Virtual visits may offer help for many of the same conditions as an ER or urgent care. At the same time, this technology may help you avoid longer wait times, skip travel hassles and gain flexibility, particularly at night or on weekends when many primary care providers are unavailable.
Plus, when it comes to quality, a recent study1 found telehealth performed better or equal to in-person visits in the majority of cases.
To help you tap into telehealth, consider these three tips:
1. Identify available resources
As a first step, check with your care provider, health plan or employer to determine what virtual care resources may be available. This can be particularly important during your open enrollment period when many people review and select their medical and specialty benefits for the coming year.
2. Understand when telehealth may be appropriate
Virtual visits are most widely used to address minor and non-emergency medical conditions, including allergies, seasonal flu, COVID-19, pink eye, rashes and more. If you experience a significant medical issue like chest pain or major burns, you should go to the emergency room.
More broadly, telehealth is also emerging as a helpful resource for behavioral health services, which may offer shorter wait times and more privacy for people seeking support for issues such as depression or anxiety. Telehealth is also being used for primary, specialist and dental and vision care.
3. Use your connected devices
You can consider other types of technology that may help improve your well-being and more effectively collaborate with your health care provider. These may include smartwatches and electronic thermometers to continuous blood glucose monitors and connected asthma inhalers. These connected devices may provide important information and offer actionable feedback to users and health care providers, including for review during virtual or in-person appointments.
Next time you’re hit with a bug or other minor medical issues, see if a virtual visit may work. For help, review this checklist to prepare for your next telehealth visit. Taking advantage of this type of care may help get you on the path to recovery, while saving you time and money.
