Getting the most out of telehealth

Telehealth appointments are becoming the norm for many GP and specialist providers to help manage health concerns and assist patients with referrals, scripts and monitoring potential concerns. So how can you can the most out of telehealth?

With new technology sometimes there can be growing pains, or miscommunication while everyone learns to manage this new type of health communication. According to the ACI model of care for telehealth appointments, the main benefit of telehealth is a reduction in travel and accommodation costs, less disruption to your daily routine, and access to health care providers in times of crisis or disruption, like a pandemic. These are all great reasons for Telehealth to exist.  Nevertheless, what if you are running a tight ship and have been waiting on the phone or in an online waiting room and aren’t sure that someone will be coming on the other line? Or this new mode of medical appointments throws you for a loop?

Things to consider or to do prior to a telehealth appointment

These are just a few ways that can help you stay on the front foot with this new resource.

• If you already know your provider and you know they sometimes run behind, call the day ahead and double-check your booking. Ask if they anticipate that the provider will be running behind. This can be especially important for hospital-based appointments as occasionally medical staff may need to attend to an urgent situation.
• If you are a new patient to this provider, request an early appointment or one right after their lunch. This makes it more likely that you are the first person they will be seeing.
• Find out what the protocol is for when appointments are running behind. Who should you call to assist you? Be sure to ask, how long is too long to wait? Your provider may have a specific time that they want you to call, usually after 20 minutes of waiting.
• If your appointment is dependent on blood work or scans which you received through an external provider, when calling to confirm you appointment, verify that they have received these reports. Often these can be chased up on the day, ensuring you get the most out of your appointment.
• Be sure to have available any information you may need to give to your providers, such as fax numbers for referrals or the location of your pharmacy for scripts. This is specially important if your provider does not live in your local area.