{"id":4616,"date":"2020-05-13T18:41:45","date_gmt":"2020-05-13T18:41:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hancockhealth.org\/?p=4616"},"modified":"2020-05-13T18:41:45","modified_gmt":"2020-05-13T18:41:45","slug":"the-irony-of-virtual-medicine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hancockhealth.org\/zh\/2020\/05\/the-irony-of-virtual-medicine\/","title":{"rendered":"\u865b\u64ec\u91ab\u5b78\u7684\u8af7\u523a"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, I never considered practicing virtual medicine. I had all kinds of concerns about the wisdom of treating people without seeing them face to face.\u00a0 <\/p>\n<\/div>

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But social distancing has forced medical professionals to be creative in caring for patients.\u00a0 Chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, COPD, and heart disease still need to be managed. Their effects on patients won\u2019t wait for the pandemic to be over. And patients with these underlying conditions are most at risk of serious illness if they contract COVID-19, so social distancing is especially important for them.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Enter the widespread adoption of virtual visits. Virtual visits can\nbe done via video on our patient portal, or on a smartphone through a HIPAA-compliant,\nsecure app called Doximity, which is an online networking service for medical\nprofessionals. The former is preferable, because clearer seeing and hearing are\nvital to good human communication and patient care. But the latter is easier\nfor people who are uncomfortable with technology. It\u2019s as simple as clicking on\na text sent by the doctor to your smart phone, then clicking on a link to\naccept the visit. It\u2019s just like FaceTiming: Just like that, you\u2019re connected\nvirtually to your doctor and care team.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Here is the irony: As I do more virtual visits, I realize that I\u2019m\nactually getting to know my patients a little better, because I\u2019m allowed into\ntheir world. <\/p>\n<\/div>

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I\u2019ve met their furry friends sitting next to them on the couch. I\nwas given a virtual tour of one patient\u2019s beautiful 30 acres with a natural\nspring. We actually had the entire visit in the woods.   I\u2019ve\nmet my patients\u2019 children and other family members. I met a patient\u2019s husband\nas he helped her point the camera to her injured foot. I\u2019ve seen people in\ntheir work environments.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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All of these virtual moments prompted me to ask people more about\ntheir lives and the things that are near and dear to their hearts. These\nvirtual visits were devoid of some of the barriers that are present when\npatients walk into my sterile office. The formidable white coat is gone, and both\nthe patient and the doctor are more at ease. \nAs we talk about their lives, I feel more comfortable sharing bits about\nmy own, and the human connection is deepened.<\/p>\n<\/div>

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For a family doc, this is good stuff. I went into primary care to\nget to know my patients and make a difference in their lives. Relationships are\nan integral part of that. How surprising and wonderful that technology has helped\nfoster this connection!<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Virtual medicine is here to stay. Face-to-face visits are still\npreferable\u2014and, of course, annual exams and procedures can only be done in\nperson. But here are some of the things we can take care of on a virtual visit,\nincluding:<\/p>\n<\/div>

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