The use of Teladoc® has increased in the treatment of urgent care patients over the last several years. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Urgent & Primary Care is relying on the system to help their Albany-area patients safely. Using virtual sessions, individuals have access to medical professionals from home. Whether you're feeling ill or need to check in with your primary care physician (PCP), there are numerous ways you can benefit from video conferencing with your doctor. 

What Are the Advantages of Video Conferencing in Health Care?

1. Patient Control

Teladoc is an app that can be installed on PCs, laptops, tablets, and phones. For those who are more comfortable speaking over the phone, the app provides that service, as well. 

Patients fill out their contact information and can provide a description or pictures of the condition needing urgent care. 

Sometimes setting up appointments to see a doctor can be challenging. Their schedule may not align with yours, requiring you to wait for their availability. In some cases, that means taking a day off from work. Teladoc eliminates the inconvenience. 

When using the app, patients select their preferred appointment time, which the doctor accepts. Instead of taking a day off from work, you can leave early, have the appointment while on break, or schedule it when you're at home. 

Before the appointment, patients receive a text message, notifying them that their physician is going over their medical records and the current reason for the appointment. Open the app 10 minutes before the session so that the doctor can reach out. 

Using the app makes following up easier, and if the doctor prescribes a medication, they'll send it to your pharmacy. When the medicine is ready, Teladoc will send a notification email or text message. For those who are less mobile, the prescriptions can be delivered to your home. 

2. Safety & Convenience 

Children and the elderly don't always have the strong immune response needed to fight off an illness. Even if the doctor is known for their expediency, sitting in a waiting room can be a bother. 

Teladoc is ideal for patients with weak or compromised immune because it doesn't involve a waiting room. The app is entirely virtual, so users can access their doctor wherever they are most comfortable and avoid the risk of catching or transmitting an illness while in the office.

Those living in more rural areas, like Saratoga County, Valatie, and Kinderhook, may not have easy access to doctors when they need urgent care. By video conferencing, they can have the medical support they need without the hassle of commuting. 

Eliminating commuting makes seeing a doctor more convenient for disabled and homebound individuals. Rather than the time-consuming effort of getting in and out of cars, scheduling an ambulance or transportation bus, and gaining comfortable access to the doctor's office, the office will come to them. 

3. Increased Savings

In late 2014, New York State passed a telehealth parity law, officially authorizing coverage for video conferencing services. Private insurance, state employee health plans, and Medicaid will cover telehealth appointments. Additionally, Teladoc doesn't require a consultation fee or co-pay, nor does it have usage limits. The app also accommodates those without insurance. 

Patients save transportation money by seeing a doctor through the app. Instead of taking public transportation in light of COVID-19, spending money on gas and parking, or paying for a transport bus, those who need care will have it at a discount. All told, they can save up to 19% by using teleconferencing appointments. 

4. Enhanced Care 

Patients using Teladoc receive a higher level of medical attention, especially in urgent care situations, because they have real-time access to their doctor.

Since patients are already on a camera with their doctor, the physician can use a connected dermatoscope or otoscope to take medical photos, making it easier to spot changes during follow-up appointments. To further streamline the process, doctors can use their electronic health records (EHR) to refer to and update patients’ charts. 

The comprehensive and convenient service reduces the necessity of hospital visits. A recent study has shown that video conferencing appointments reduced unnecessary hospital admissions by 38% and lessened re-admissions by 31%. Those who spent time in the hospital were 63% more likely to leave sooner due to doctors' information during the virtual appointment. 

The study also notes a drastic decrease in depression and anxiety patients felt after seeing a doctor through teleconferencing. 

5. Privacy & Security

Doctor's appointments are a sensitive and private matter. Patients should have confidence that their data is safe, and the call remains confidential. To ensure privacy, Teladoc uses an encryption format that exceeds the requirements of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The information you submit is kept on a private server that only your physician will have access to. The video calls are protected by a secure network with minimal latency, providing clear audio and visual fidelity. 

To continually provide immediate and compassionate medical assistance during COVID-19, the doctors at Urgent & Primary Care use Teladoc. From the comfort of your home, you'll benefit from the comprehensive care that has made their practice known and trusted throughout Albany, NY, and its surrounding areas. Their connections are high-quality and secure, ensuring the same discretion patients have during in-person visits. For more information on their urgent care services, visit their website or call (518) 463-8262.