Telemedicine Germantown, TN
Telemedicine has broadened the spectrum for patients needing care. Advancements in medical technologies have expanded access to allow more people to attain essential health care when they need it. Telemedicine includes various services, ranging from advice to immediate prescription filling without the need for in-person visits.
At People First Urgent & Primary Care Germantown, we offer telemedicine services for patients who are unable to come into the clinic for any reason. Our team can assess your condition from the comfort of your home and discuss the next steps, whether it be coming in for an examination or taking certain measures to relieve your symptoms. To learn more about our services or schedule an appointment, call (901) 257-3077 today.
Understanding Telemedicine
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), telemedicine is "the use of electronic and telecommunication technologies" that allow patients access to health care without visiting a physical office. Through various forms of technology, including phone, tablet, or computer, patients can seek medical advice for non-emergency conditions and discuss symptoms with their practitioner. These appointments often involve photos, video, or camera engagement, which provides the doctor with a visual of the condition when appropriate.
Telemedicine appointments are most commonly used when a patient is unable to physically come into the office, during after-hours, and for monitoring an ongoing condition. The three types of telemedicine include:
- Interactive Medicine: when physicians and patients communicate in real-time
- Remote Patient Monitoring: allows practitioners to monitor data on blood pressure, blood sugar levels, etc
- Store-and-Forward: collecting and sharing patients’ health information with other healthcare professionals or specialists
“Through various forms of technology, including phone, tablet, or computer, patients can seek medical advice for non-emergency conditions and discuss symptoms with their practitioner.”
How Telemedicine Works
Patients will have access to an online portal with personal login information. The portal allows patients to make an appointment, list their symptoms and concerns, and ask any pertinent questions. The physician will then assess the case and determine whether they could offer their advice through a reply or the patient would benefit from an in-person visit or online appointment.
Once an appointment is scheduled, the patient and practitioner meet over the online portal. We may request that the patient use video or send photos for cases in which we would need to visually assess the condition. During the appointment, we will discuss the patient's symptoms, record important medical information, update any changes to their health, make recommendations for their current case, and send any necessary lab work or prescriptions.
“Patients will have access to an online portal with personal login information.”
Types of Telemedicine Services
Patients often seek telemedicine services for non-emergency cases to acquire medical advice on a certain condition. They may also communicate changes in an ongoing condition that the physician is already aware of. Lastly, many telemedicine appointments are made after-hours or by patients outside of the network interested in receiving care from a particular practitioner.
In any case, telemedicine services may include situations such as:
- Diagnoses of common medical problems such as headache, sore throat, back pain, and digestive troubles
- Faster refill of short-term medical prescriptions
- Holidays, weekends, late-night, or any other situation when regular medical care is not possible
- Inquiries about various medical issues for home treatments
- Patient inability to leave the house due to sickness or bad weather conditions
- Post-treatment check-ins or follow up for chronic care
“Patients often seek telemedicine services for non-emergency cases to acquire medical advice on a certain condition.”
Check out what others are saying about our primary care physician services on Yelp: Telemedicine in Germantown, TN
Benefits of Telemedicine
Telemedicine benefits both patients and practitioners. It allows patients to:
- Access their health record and monitorization remotely
- Save on travel time/transportation costs
- Send and receive messages from their doctor using chat messaging or email
- Talk to their doctor live over the phone or video chat without leaving the comfort of their home or office
- Take fewer days off of school/work
It benefits practitioners by:
- Attaining a larger clientele
- Expanding access to patients in and out of network
- Having access to patients’ data and sharing information easily with other practitioners
- Reducing number of visits to clinic
- Reducing wait time for services
Although telemedicine has been around for many years, it has expanded substantially after the pandemic. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, many people requiring care turned to telehealth services and realized their benefits even after the order was lifted. Today, many patients use telemedicine for many aspects of their healthcare, including primary care, dental care, mental health care, and specialty care.
"Today, many patients use telemedicine for many aspects of their healthcare, including primary care, dental care, mental health care, and specialty care."
Questions Answered on This Page
Q. How does telemedicine work?
Q. What are the types of telemedicine services?
Q. What are the benefits of telemedicine?
People Also Ask
Q. Who are primary care physicians?
Q. Why should I go to my primary care doctor for common cold and flu treatment?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Who uses telemedicine?
A. Healthcare providers offer telemedicine and telecommunication services to provide various forms of medical care, including dentists, primary care physicians, mental health specialists, and other medical specialists. It is important to ask or look online to ensure your healthcare provider offers the service before making an appointment.
Q. What is the difference between telemedicine and telehealth?
A. The biggest difference between telemedicine and telehealth is the type of care provided. Telemedicine typically involves clinical care services while telehealth can include both clinical and non-clinical services. These services are both offered remotely.
Q. What technologies do I need to make a telemedicine appointment?
A. The essential technology requirements for a telemedicine appointment are broadband internet access, audio and video capabilities, imaging technology (such as a camera), and email access. These can all be done on a phone, tablet, or computer. We will provide patients with login information to access their online portal. Patients who do not have access to these technologies may use a public computer space, such as a library, and ask for a private area during their appointment time.
Q. Does insurance cover telemedicine services?
A. Most insurance providers cover telemedicine services in place of physical appointments. Coverage generally includes any services that would be covered by an in-person visit. We recommend patients contact their insurance provider prior to seeking treatment to ensure coverage and any out-of-pocket costs.
Q. Are telemedicine appointments secure?
A. Telemedicine has become more secure than ever. Patient information and data are available only to patients and their various providers (physicians, specialists, etc.). Screen sharing and video conferencing use encrypted screen capture and all data is encrypted within the portal. Emails sent through telecommunications are encrypted and require patients to log in through the portal to access the information.
Start Feeling Better - Visit Us Today
By visiting us as soon as possible, our team can help get you the professional treatment you need. Instead of waiting around and allowing the symptoms to get worse, we can provide you with treatment options.
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Definition of Medical Terminology
Call Us Today
Telemedicine consultations and treatments are available at our office. The People First Urgent & Primary Care Germantown team looks forward to meeting you and helping you through your symptoms. Call our office at 901-257-3077 to learn more about telemedicine, any of our services, or to schedule an appointment.
Helpful Related Links
- American Journal of Medicine. American Journal of Medicine. 2022
- American Medical Association (AMA). American Medical Association (AMA). 2022
- HealthCare.gov. HealthCare.gov. 2022
About our business and website security
- People First Urgent & Primary Care Germantown was established in 2022.
- We accept the following payment methods: American Express, Cash, Check, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa
- We serve patients from the following counties: Shelby County
- We serve patients from the following cities: Germantown, Collierville, Memphis, Bartlett, Rossville, and Piperton
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