Telemedicine
*Family Medicine Specialists S.C. now offers Telemedicine Appointments*
What does telehealth mean?
Telehealth — sometimes called telemedicine — is the use of electronic information and telecommunication technologies to provide care when you and the doctor aren’t in the same place at the same time. If you have a phone or a device with internet access, you already have everything you need to get medical care or services through telehealth — you may be able to:
-
Talk to your doctor live over the phone or video chat.
-
Send and receive messages from your doctor using patient secure messaging, and secure file exchange.
-
Use remote patient monitoring so your doctor can check on you at home.
Benefits of telehealth
Although virtual visits may not be as common as traditional in person doctor’s appointments, there are many benefits that explain why this type of care is growing in popularity.
-
Limiting physical contact reduces everyone’s exposure to COVID-19
-
Visiting virtually can address health issues wherever patients are, even from the comfort of home
-
Staying put cuts down on commuting, travel in bad weather, time off from work, need for child care
-
Using virtual health care tools can shorten wait times to see a provider
What types of care can I get using telehealth?
You might be surprised by the variety of care you can get through telehealth. Your doctor will decide whether telehealth is right for your health needs.
If you need care — especially during COVID-19 — it’s worth checking to see what your telehealth options are.
For example, you may be able to get:
-
General health care, like wellness visits
-
Prescriptions for medicine
-
Urgent care conditions, such as sinusitis, back pain, urinary tract infections, common rashes, etc.
-
Hospital follow-up