{"id":2060,"date":"2023-07-28T00:02:35","date_gmt":"2023-07-28T00:02:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drbadia.com\/es\/?p=2060"},"modified":"2025-11-11T17:10:15","modified_gmt":"2025-11-11T21:10:15","slug":"how-does-telemedicine-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drbadia.com\/es\/how-does-telemedicine-work\/","title":{"rendered":"How does telemedicine work?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fact checked Reviewed by: Susy Salvo-Wendt, telehealth specialist, Updated: March 10, 2021. Review our editorial process and full disclaimer for more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I.What is Telemedicine?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Telemedicine is treating patients and delivering care from a distance using technology. Doctors are able to connect with patients through online platforms to discuss their health concerns, perform virtual exams, make diagnoses, and prescribe treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not that much more sophisticated than using FaceTime,<\/em>\u201d explains Dr. Alejandro Badia, MD, FACS, hand and upper limb surgeon and founder of Badia Hand to Shoulder Center in Doral, Florida. \u201cAll you need is the ability to see each other.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Badia has been using telemedicine<\/a> for about seven years, mostly for his international patients, which comprises about one-third of his practice. But with the pandemic, everyday he says his center does at least two to four consultations with people who are nervous about leaving home.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"How
Telemedicine can provide alternative options to care.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

\u201cWhen you have a crisis like the pandemic, all of a sudden everybody jumps on the telemedicine bandwagon,<\/em>\u201d says Dr. Badia, who is also co-founder of OrthoNOW, a network of orthopedic urgent care centers.<\/strong> Noting the high adoption rate by physicians during the lockdowns, Badia expects that telemedicine is now here to stay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith the successful increase of telemedicine consults since the pandemic there are still barriers that must be addressed at a policy and legislative level<\/em>\u201d adds Susy Salvo-Wendt, Summit Healthcare telehealth specialist. \u201cThose barriers include reimbursement parity with in-patient visits, licensing and credentialing of tele-providers and the standardization of best practices.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

II. How Does Telemedicine Work?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One way telemedicine works is when a patient initiates an online appointment with their physician or another provider which is called Direct to Consumer (DTC) telemedicine. For example, patients usually reach Dr. Badia through his website, where they can schedule a consultation. \u201cI usually start with telemedicine before a patient jumps on a plane to see me,\u00bb<\/em> says Dr. Badia. Over video conference, he is able to do a full ortho assessment. \u201cWe can get a good idea about what\u2019s going on and decide on next steps,<\/em>\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the appointment itself, doctors and patients need to have a strong connection, and doctors must be able to get the right view. It\u2019s usually more comfortable for the patient and a better view for the physician if the patient is on a laptop or desktop versus a phone or tablet, says Dr. Badia. \u201cWhile most patients have mobile Wi-Fi or broadband in some rural areas this is still a barrier for telemedicine<\/em>\u201d, states Susy Salvo-Wendt. Telemedicine Specialist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The doctor will usually begin with a conversation with the patient about their concerns and their health history. From there, the doctor can also perform a \u201cphysical\u201d exam. For Dr. Badia, that may include asking<\/a> the patient to move a certain way to check their range of motion. \u201cThey can show me their limitations,<\/em>\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To supplement the visits, doctors may also request the results of prior diagnostic exams. \u201cThey can all be sent through telemedicine,<\/em>\u201d says Dr. Badia. Patients can download their MRI or X-Rays through various portals, for instance. \u201cThen I can examine them, I can talk to them, and when they come to Miami, we\u2019ve already got a plan in place,<\/em>\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Telemedicine visits work mostly the same way for all types of doctor visits, from general practitioner concerns to specialties like neurology, dermatology, psychiatry, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

III. What Are The Benefits and Limitations of Telemedicine?<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Telemedicine has many advantages as well as a couple of drawbacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Telemedicine benefits<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25aa It defies distance. Patients can now access specialists who may be hundreds of miles away who they might not ordinarily be able to visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25aa It saves time. Badia has a large number of patients from the Florida Keys, which are about four hours away by car. \u201cIf I can examine their shoulder remotely and answer their questions, I save that person 8 hours of travel,<\/em>\u201d he says. Of course, even nearby physician appointments can require a few hours of your time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25aa It can save money for patients. In some cases, patients might have to miss work or arrange childcare in order to get to a doctor\u2019s appointment. Plus, there could be travel or parking costs involved. Telemedicine cuts all of that out. \u201cIt\u2019s a huge downstream benefit that we\u2019re not even talking about that much,<\/em>\u201d says Dr. Badia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25aa It has the potential to improve patient outcomes. If a patient is able to consult their doctor from home, they may be more likely to stay on track with preventative care visits or follow up appointments. They might also be able to use telemedicine to avoid an emergency room or urgent care trip for minor infections or illnesses that can be treated at home with medication ordered by a telemedicine doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Telemedicine limitations<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25aa Sometimes, in-person visits are necessary. Some examinations do require physical touch, such as when doctors need to perform an exam to feel for irregularities. And patients might be required to see doctors in person who might want to closely monitor vital signs like blood pressure or heart\/lung performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25aa Telemedicine visits must follow HIPAA rules. If a physician wants to offer telemedicine, they can\u2019t simply invite the patient to Zoom with them. \u201cYou have to offer a platform that is HIPAA compliant,<\/em>\u201d says Dr. Badia. While this is not a limitation per se, getting set up on a proper platform could be a barrier for some physicians to get on board with telemedicine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u25aa Some technical knowledge, and\/or caregiver support may be required. Especially with older patients, not having a basic level of tech savviness, the proper equipment or a stable Wi-Fi connection could be an impediment to telemedicine care. In many cases, a caregiver or family member can step in to assist. In addition, if the doctor needs to observe how the patient walks around the house, for example, it could require having someone there with them to hold the device.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

IV. Who is a Candidate for Telemedicine?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone can be a good candidate for telemedicine, especially for first-time consultations or follow-up visits that don\u2019t require in-person physical treatment or examination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are specialties that require less physical exams than others, for example mental health,<\/em>\u201d says Dr. Badia. Telemedicine is ideal for those patients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another good candidate for telemedicine is a patient who needs to discuss test results. \u201cAn internist who ordered a blood panel can discuss the results of that test remotely with the patient so they don\u2019t have to come in,<\/em>\u201d says Dr. Badia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does Insurance Cover Telemedicine?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One positive thing about the pandemic is that the insurance industry has been more accepting of telemedicine, says Dr. Badia. \u201cThere\u2019s no reason that the patients should be <\/em>physically in front of me for the insurance to approve that visit,<\/em>\u201d he says, but in the past, that was sometimes a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAfter the lockdown, within four to six weeks, many of the insurance companies were covering telemedicine, and some on par, basically reimbursing the physician offices the same as if they saw the patient in person,<\/em>\u201d says Dr. Badia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the patient side, health insurance coverage<\/a> varies by provider and by plan, so it\u2019s always a good idea to check with your provider as to how they cover telemedicine visits. \u201cThe patients don\u2019t always know, and our staff doesn\u2019t always know,<\/em>\u201d says Dr. Badia. \u201cSometimes they have to call for prices. It completely varies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

V. Expert<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

OnlineDoctor.com interviewed this expert for article guidance:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Alejandro Badia, MD, FACS, hand and upper limb surgeon and founder of Badia Hand to Shoulder Center in Doral, Florida<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the original article below<\/h2>\n\n\n\n