Phone and Video Dr appts

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valeriedl

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With the Coronavirus going on man drs don't want you to come into the office because there is the chance of getting infected so now they are doing phone or video appts.

My dad had a video appt, one over the internet that you are able to see each other, this morning with his heart dr this morning. He said he it was ok but he had to take his own blood pressure, luckily he has a high scale blood pressure monitor here at the house so he should have an accurate result. There were things that were left out during the appt that are usually done during one - weight, temp and a few other general things. All in all he said he liked it.

However I had breast cancer two years ago and I was scheduled to have an appt with my dr last week but she called and didn't want me to come into the office because I could get sick and said she'd rather have a phone appt with me. The office was going to call later that day to schedule the appt but it was the dr who called. There was really no 'Appointment' with her. There was no blood pressure, temp, weight and what ever else is usually done. What got me was the examination of my breast. She wanted to know what the scar looked ok, so there's my mom and I looking at my breast in the bedroom thinking it was ok. What really got me is if I'd felt any lumps. No I haven't but that's something that I might not be able to realize is one and the dr can.

I'll be going to the neuro in a few weeks and I know I'm not going to have a video/phone appt with him. The main reason is because of the VNS, it's not something that you can say in ok yourself.
 
Theyre doing a lot of teleconference or phone appointments here where they can
But there are some specialist appointments where you have to still go in

My dad had an appointment with lung specialist last month and still saw him. I think it was just as we were starting to go the next stage of restrictions
My Mum was supposed to see a skin specialist but that's been postponed until further notice

I have a few medical appointments coming up which will all be phone or video conference.

I've got a drs appointment on Monday which is just to get blood test result and some scripts but the drs going to ring me.

I have an appointment next month with the genetics Councillor which is follow up to our appointment on February. She was going to be in my area end of May but due to Corona virus we're doing it via video conference.

I'm due to see the Neurologist around June and Ive been doing telelink appointments with him since late 2018 so that's not an issue.
 
I had a phone conference or rather was supposed to for my hearth but it never happened and even though I have tried to ring I get no answer, this is one appointment I really need, I have got to sort out this getting sick all day every day. Its no fun taking medication only for it to end up in the toilet 5 minuets later or on the wall.
 
I had a phone conference or rather was supposed to for my hearth but it never happened and even though I have tried to ring I get no answer, this is one appointment I really need, I have got to sort out this getting sick all day every day. Its no fun taking medication only for it to end up in the toilet 5 minuets later or on the wall.
Wow
Hope you can get it sorted out because last thing you want is to end up in hospital again 👎🏻
 
I hope I get it sorted as well and soon but truthfully I am not holding my breath, something is just saying prepare yourself for the long haul.
 
Well that's no good. If they are going substitute a televisit for the real thing they should at least make sure they follow through.

My mother went to see the dentist in person (she had a crown fall out a few weeks ago), and they were so careful -- every surface wiped down, everyone completely masked, gloved and gowned, appointments spaced out so people weren't in the waiting room at the same time....
It would be great if other medical offices could figure out a way to do the same thing for more serious conditions (like cancer or heart problems).
 
My mother went to see the dentist in person (she had a crown fall out a few weeks ago), and they were so careful -- every surface wiped down, everyone completely masked, gloved and gowned, appointments spaced out so people weren't in the waiting room at the same time....
It would be great if other medical offices could figure out a way to do the same thing for more serious conditions (like cancer or heart problems).
Mum was telling me the lung specialist Dad had the chairs were spaced out so no one was sitting near each other. Some patients had to wait outside.
I think they were concerned it might be cancelled but as it was they were able to keep the appointment. This was the 1st time he'd seen this specialist & had been waiting to see him since June last year.

I had a co worker who had to see a specialist for female issues, she was telling me they were only letting one patient in at a time no one with them and taking temperature before they went in.

I noticed the FB page of the hospital I go to for my epilepsy put up a post last months saying all specialists clinics were doing phone or telelink appointments where they could. Otherwise if patients had to come in to see dr they asked they came in on their own (often they had a person as a carer) and I believe the hospital now has someone at the entrance taking temperatures
 
I have a neurologist visit in July. They've already called and asked if I'd do video or telephone.
They've offered this service for a while but I've never tried it.
My concerns are 1) they could only do video on a smartphone, not PC. You'd think
a brain doctor would be able to use a computer. and 2) are the billing full price if you do half the work.
 
I have a neurologist visit in July. They've already called and asked if I'd do video or telephone.
They've offered this service for a while but I've never tried it.
Good luck with your appointment next month,


They've already called and asked if I'd do video or telephone.
They've offered this service for a while but I've never tried it.
My concerns are 1) they could only do video on a smartphone, not PC. You'd think
a brain doctor would be able to use a computer. 2) are the billing full price if you do half the work.
The video appointments can be done on any devices with camera so laptop, ipad/tablet or phone.

My neurologist is in the city which is approx 3 hours drive away so I've been doing teleconference appointmenst with him since late 2018. I mainly use my Ipad for our conferences but have used my laptop as well. I'm pretty sure my neuro uses a laptop as one of our appointments he was running late and appologised as he had to change laptops.

There has only ever been one issue where I had a seizure during the appointment and hung up on the conference. I ended up ringing the epilepsy clinic back & asked them to get in touch with the neurologist, they spoke to him who was in with patients and he rang me as soon as he finished. We then finished our appointment over the phone

As for the cost I'm in Australia so it's a little different as it getsall under medicare (government health care) & gets bulk billed so only costs to me is my internet usage.
 
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I had my appointment with my epilepsy nurse this month over the phone. They sent me a letter in advance to let me know about it. It was just the same questions as a face to face appointment, same care and I was only on the phone for five minutes. Saved me several hours of travel so it was much easier for me
 
I had my appointment with my epilepsy nurse this month over the phone. They sent me a letter in advance to let me know about it. It was just the same questions as a face to face appointment, same care and I was only on the phone for five minutes. Saved me several hours of travel so it was much easier for me
Sonia
That’s exactly the same with me, when I have a teleconference appointment it’s still the same as if I was going to the epilepsy clinic only difference is I now do it at home or from work.

Because I used to go on my own I’d get the train and would do it in a day, leave home at 6:30am and get back at 10pm so it was long day. As my neuro said I don’t have to travel all that way for a 5 minute appointment.

Their epilepsy clinic is always Mondays from 1:30 but neuro likes his teleconferences before clinic so we usually have it at 1pm. I usually get a letter about 2 - 4 weeks prior to the appointment letting me know when the appointment is. For example I’m due to see the neuro in August so I should get a letter next month and instead of clinic outpatient it will say teleconference.
 
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