5 Things to Know About Telemedicine

Telemedicine is a subset of telehealth, which basically includes any electronic transfer of medical information. Specifically, telemedicine allows patients, doctors and experts to interact online in order to discuss symptoms, make a diagnosis and/or write a prescription.

Table of Contents

What is Telemedicine?
How Does Telemedicine Work?
Finding an Online Doctor
How Much Does Telemedicine Cost?
Telemedicine vs. Traditional Visits

What is Telemedicine?

In simpler terms, telemedicine allows you to see your doctor without having to leave the comfort of your home. The appointment itself can different forms depending on the reason for the visit. For example, you may be on the phone, in a video chat or using a messaging app.

"He and I did a telemedicine visit," Clark explains. "We had a choice: We could have either done a full video appointment or, in the case of my appointment, it was routine enough that we did a phone call. Basically, a by-appointment phone call and were able to talk through the situation."

How Does Telemedicine Work?

You may be typing questions and responses to your doctor in a messaging platform, talking to your doctor over the phone or interacting face-to-face through online video software. Unless your doctor is able to call you and make diagnosis via the phone, you'll most likely need a computer, smartphone or tablet along with reliable internet access to complete a remote doctor visit.

"We had the follow-up like we would have had it in the office, just with me in my home and him in his home," Clark says about his recent appointment. "It's a great way for a doctor to not be exposed to what you have and for you to not be exposed to what other patients have."

Ultimately, with the right technology, telemedicine can work just like a regular doctor's appointment. Just be sure to clearly communicate with your doctor during a remote visit to ensure they have all the information they need to make a diagnosis.

Finding an Online Doctor

If there's a doctor familiar with your medical history that you visit regularly, you may be able to contact his or her office directly to set up a telemedicine appointment. "Right now, I think they're really fans of it," Clark says of family doctors. "If you have a doctor, he or she may be willing to do a telemedicine kind of thing."

Depending on your needs, your doctor may be willing to schedule a call or video chat in place of an in-person visit. Aside from your primary physician, here are five places to schedule a telemedicine appointment:

1. DoctorOnDemand

2. CareClix

3. Teladoc

4. iCliniq

5. Amwell

This company provides easy access to doctors from your home using the web, mobile apps or the phone by calling 1-844-SEE-DOCS. You can see the wide range of insurance plans that are accepted by Amwell here. Otherwise, a standard visit costs $69.

How Much Does Telemedicine Cost?

Depending on the company you go through (or your primary doctor's fees) you can expect to pay between $50 and $80 for a standard visit without insurance. Compared to seeing an in-person doctor, the out-of-pocket price is significantly cheaper.

Telemedicine vs. Traditional Visits

"It was really, in some ways, very different than a normal doctor visit," says Clark, "but in other ways, it felt completely normal."

1. Convenience

2. Wait Time

3. Cost

4. Comprehensiveness

Final Thoughts

Clark says, "I think through this process people will become more comfortable — both medical professionals and patients — in situations that are more routine, going for a visit on their phone than going for a visit in person."

Have you ever used telemedicine to see a doctor remotely? Let us know how your experience went in the comments below!

More Clark.com Content You May Enjoy:

[ This article was originally published on Clark.com ]

The post 5 Things to Know About Telemedicine appeared first on Clark Howard.