Take a seat on your couch, the doctor will log in shortly: Health in the COVID age Jeff Murray, Elmira Star-Gazette Published 7:00 a.m. ET June 1, 2020
Cody Bowers, of Wellsboro, sees doctors on a regular basis. In addition to a yearly checkup with the family physician, Bowers has frequent visits with an oncologist, a doctor who specializes in treating cancer. With fears over exposure to the coronavirus keeping some people away from the doctor's office or emergency room, modern technology allows Bowers to keep vital appointments with his oncologist without leaving home. "It was my decision to do the telemed visits due to the COVID-19 pandemic," said Bowers, 20. "I wanted to lessen the chances of being exposed to it due to my compromised immune system, because I had just finished my chemotherapy treatments. "I liked it because there was less exposure to other people, plus it did save on travel and was convenient being able to do this from my home," he said. "I still need to go to in-person visits due to having to get labs done and also scans." As fear of exposure to COVID-19 is keeping many people locked down, doctors and other providers are relying more heavily on telemedicine — using smartphones, Internet services such as Zoom and other technology — to keep in touch with patients and make sure health issues unrelated to the coronavirus are not neglected. And medical professionals expect that trend will continue even after the crisis is over. It's not a new concept, but it's one that has seen enormous growth in the past few months, said Dr. Alexsander Rupik, director of the Arnot Health Primary Care Center Telemedicine isn't a substitute for seeing a patient in person, but it can fill an important gap in care, Rupik said.
Kevin Hartman, left, a resident at the Corning Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare, meets virtually with nurse practitioner Joy Obihara of New York City. Looking on are Corning Center telemedicine clinical technicians Deanna Wheeler, right, and Gwen Youmans. (Photo: Provided)
"It's been a godsend for us. Doctors continue to practice and patients feel like they are still being cared for," he said. "There are limitations. If a patient has belly pain, we want to put our hands on their belly and feel it. This is better for healthier patients but it's not a replacement for physicals. "It's positive for the patients. It's a way to see them and talk to them," Rupik said. "You can see if they need a higher level of care or evaluation."
A nationwide movement The rise of telemedicine isn't just a local phenomenon. Doctors across the country are tapping into remote technology more frequently as a way to safely manage patient care during the COVID-19 crisis, according to the American Medical Association. That technology ensures medical professionals can continue to provide uninterrupted care for 100 million Americans with chronic conditions during the pandemic, the AMA said. Telemedicine is also a critical component of care at nursing homes, where it's often difficult for residents to travel to outside appointments and staff doctors often visit in person once a week or so. "It is not new to us. We were in on it at the very beginning. We've been doing about 60 (telemedicine visits) a month," said Angie Harrison, administrator at the Corning Center for Rehabilitation and Healthcare.
"It certainly has expanded under the pandemic," Harrison said. "It's supplementing and complementary of services provided by in-house providers. This is a fabulous way to have a face-to-face conversation. We don't have to ship them off to hospitals when we can do things in-house. They don't have to go to the emergency room and sit there for hours."
A better way for the future Telemedicine will never replace in-person medical assessments, but it is a valuable resource that won't go away once the pandemic threat fades, said Dr. Joseph Mwesige, a specialist in internal medicine at Guthrie Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre. "They are afraid of being exposed (to the virus). Telemedicine can bring them close to the physician. It is more than just a message or a phone call," Mwesige said. "They are able to see medical records, and see what's going on. It can be an added resource for them. "From my standpoint, it feels like no time wasted. I find it to be quite fast," he said. "You want to maintain that intimacy so they don't feel like you have left them out. I think it is going to be ongoing." In fact, Guthrie is already crafting plans to make telemedicine a permanent and prominent part of its repertoire, said David Hall, vice president of operations and virtual care. "Telemedicine will never replace the in-person examination, but we really see it as a tool, and if we use that tool correctly, it improves the lives of the patients we serve," Hall said. "We serve a highly rural area, and we often see transportation barriers. By implementing telemedicine, we've been able to improve (outcomes) for patients. "We continually study the impact on efficiency, and also the financial outcomes for patients," he said. "We've reduced time off from work, the commute, parking. We it's really had a great impact on efficiency, not only for doctors but also for patients. We continue to improve going forward, and this will be a very important piece of our business day to day." Follow Jeff Murray on Twitter @SGJeffMurray. Support our journalism and become a digital subscriber today. Click here for our special offers.
https://www.stargazette.com/story/news/local/2020/06/01/coronavirus-southern-tier-healthcareproviders-boost-telemedicine-during-pandemic/5193505002/