‍What is Telehealth?

As you might be able to guess, telehealth is a method of receiving healthcare services through your telephone or other communication services. Most telehealth services require the user to download an app to their mobile device or computer, this helps log the patient information and schedule appointments. These appointments can be held from anywhere but most doctors will ask that you’re in a quiet location with good connection.

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How can Telehealth benefit you?

“Some of the benefits of telehealth include:

• Getting care at home, especially for people who can't easily get to their providers' offices
• Getting care from a specialist who is not close by
• Getting care after office hours
• More communication with your providers
• Better communication and coordination between health care providers
• More support for people who are managing their health conditions, especially chronic conditions such as diabetes
• Lower cost, since virtual visits may be cheaper than in-person visits” (medlineplus.gov)

Services can include but are not limited to:

• “General health care, like wellness visits
• Prescriptions for medicine
• Dermatology (skin care)
• Eye exams
• Nutrition counseling
• Mental health counseling
• Urgent care conditions, such as sinusitis, urinary tract infections, common rashes, etc.” (medlineplus.gov)

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What are the downsides?

While telehealth has many benefits, it does have some drawbacks which may include:

• A less personal relationship with your healthcare provider
• Not all services are provided via telehealth
• They can have varying costs or may not be covered by your insurance

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If you have any questions regarding telehealth or how your insurance plan may or may not cover it, give us a call and we can help answer those questions for you.

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