Last Update Oct 16, 2022 @ 5:22 pm

It should be common sense not to ignore any kind of health care, but people may not take telehealth care seriously after the Covid-19 pandemic.  People may believe that it is not a beneficial practice due to not seeing the doctor in person.  However, studies have shown that telehealth care has actually helped improve the number of people seeking help for emotional care.

What is Telehealth Care?

Telehealth care is a practice that is really gained traction since Covid-19 reared its ugly head.  Basically, it’s when you don’t go to a doctor’s office, but you see your doctor through a video chat or telephone call.  These kinds of visits were put into place to try to control the numbers of those getting infected and to protect the medical staff that was going to be in serious need.

Benefits and Drawbacks to Telehealth Care

The tricky thing about telehealth care is that one benefit could also be seen as a drawback.  By not seeing your doctor in person you are cutting down on the probability of infecting others, but you also may not be getting the most “hands on” and effective treatment.  This one is really a case of how serious your reason for the visit is and whether or not you should be seen in person.  Other pros and drawbacks include:

Pros:

• You don’t have to wait in a waiting room.  Your doctor will make the call or video chat when it is time.
• You don’t have to waste time and money on gas to get to the doctor
• Faster service

Drawbacks:

• If you have a physical ailment, the most you will be seen is on camera, so the doctor may not get the best look at the problem.
• If you have to take any kind of tests, this cannot be done through telehealth services
• Same with medicine, most doctors will not subscribe any medication to you unless you are physically seen.

As a rule of thumb, it may be best to conduct telehealth visits for when the issue is very small and you don’t have to be necessarily seen.  Telehealth visits are also very handy for when it is a visit of mental health, such as therapy and psychiatry appointments.

Telehealth Care’s “Big Splash” with Mental Health

One very big reason for telehealth care’s big success with mental health and mental health awareness is because patients don’t have to go physically see the doctor and it cuts down on the nervousness and shame that comes with the social stigma of seeing a professional.

The reality is that in this day and age we shouldn’t be having these negative feelings towards mental health.  Unfortunately, they are alive and well, however, telehealth care is helping with that burden by giving patients the opportunity to use their own home as a safe space to conduct visits.

Patients can safely and privately discuss conditions in their own home, such as:

• Anxiety
• Depression
• Disease Counseling
• Health Coaching
• Other Mental Illnesses

Seeing the increase in the amount of people seeking mental help is a big reason why telehealth care is so important after the pandemic.

Changes

It was to be expected that we saw a lot of changes in health care when phasing in telehealth care services.  There were changes in payment, privacy, and the way you saw your doctor overall.  It is easy to understand how some of these changes made patients uneasy.

Changes in Payment

To put it simply, medical insurance companies were not ready for the telehealth care change.  Many insurances did not cover telehealth care simply because we never needed before.  Unfortunately, Covid-19 made it a necessity and therefore insurance companies had to scramble to put money into it to make it possible.

But, how do you pay for services when you’re not physically there?  You provide it via online forms and taking pictures of your cards.  It’s easy to see why some people would be uneasy with that.  However, it was a necessity and once the deed was done, you got to your doctor.

Changes in Privacy

Believe it or not some doctors were afraid of “Zoom bombing” once telehealth started to take effect. “Zoom bombing” is when disruptive, uninvited users force their way into a virtual meeting.  It is a scary thought , but strange things happen when utilizing the Internet.  Guardrails, such as periodic audits, have been suggested to keep up with security during these changes, but drastic issues have yet to be seen.

It would be very difficult for some patients to switch back from telehealth care to office care, especially in the area of mental health.  If not for any other reason at all, telehealth care should be taken seriously due to the good it’s done in the realm of mental health.  Making patients feel safe in any way is always a win.