I was speaking (in person, outside, masked up, more than 6 feet away) with a friend of mine the other day, a physician in the Seattle area. She was describing how the pandemic has changed her practice. Certainly, when she drives in to work, she must take extra precautions prior to, during, and after seeing patients (masks, gloves, handwashing, and the like). And she keeps current on the latest trends and guidelines with regard to COVID-19.

However, not all of the changes to her work life have been burdens. One silver lining, she told me, was the increase in the number of patients she is able to see remotely, through her computer and her patients’ computers. This technology – labeled “telehealth” – has been with us for some time (you can read an article I wrote on the subject in 2012 here). But only recently, with the increased necessity of remote options for providing medical services, has telehealth become more ubiquitous in the lives of those within the American health system.

The adage that comes to mind is: “necessity is the mother of invention”. Once the system was set up, and once my friend’s system figured out a way to get compensated for the care provided, the new method of delivery of medical services may benefit everyone involved.

For patients, the opportunity to have a checkup from the convenience of their own homes will likely decrease the number of cancelled appointments and gaps in health care. For doctors, they can avoid all of the hassle of COVID guidelines (masks, gloves, etc.), and sometimes even avoid the commute to work if they can “see” patients from home. For both, it decreases drastically the risk of transmitting COVID-19 (or any other communicable disease), which is safer for everyone.

Certainly, not all medical care can or should be provided remotely. And without certain devices physically with the patient (like a blood pressure cuff, or pulse oximeter, or thermometer), important information about a patient’s vital signs will be lacking. But for routine checkups, including prescription renewals and most mental health counseling, the benefits of telehealth should remain long after the pandemic is over.

You can read more about the benefits of telehealth here.