Virtual Doctor for Primary Care?

[FlaMariner]

We break up our year between 2 or 3 locations.

Thus far, we've been fine scheduling our annual physical when at home base and if needed, we use teledoc or urgent care if we are not home and need medical attention, but I've been looking into switching primary care to virtual.....probably teledoc. My thinking is we could then have access to our primary care no matter where we are.....

Our health is not too complicated...the usual...hypertension, pre-diabetes, etc.....for now, anyway.

Any intel/expeience going virtual for Primary Care?

 

[Koolau]

I don't really know how virtual w*rks. Could you clue me in?

So far, I'm pretty satisfied with our set up (docs both places), but other than our yearly change of address, we don't seem to travel a lot.

 

[Sarah S]

Not sure what you mean? Are you thinking picking a pcp who you could also see in person and doing virtual appointments or doing one of the teledoc services?

The latter might be hard to get continuity and for both they need to be licensed in the state you are physically in. My neurologist does virtual visits and some people who live in nearby states drive over the state line and park to comply with this

Medicare expanded televisit rules are due to expire at the end of September hoping congress extends it or it won’t even be an option for medicare ( and private insurance often follows medicare.

 

[Closet_Gamer]

I’ve had good virtual care experiences for:

1 - Mental health check in with a provider I’ve used for a decade

2 - Follow ups for diagnosed and treated acute issues (eg, slipped disc)

3 - On vacation and have a sore throat, yes that sounds bacterial so we will send in an amoxicillin script

I would not be comfortable doing it for a serious new issue.

 

[aja8888]

I don't really know how virtual w*rks. Could you clue me in?

So far, I'm pretty satisfied with our set up (docs both places), but other than our yearly change of address, we don't seem to travel a lot.

When I had Covid a couple of years ago, I saw a doc using my smart phone.

 

[Koolau]

When I had Covid a couple of years ago, I saw a doc using my smart phone.

Was the doctor "your" doctor or was s/he from a "pool" of tele-doctors? Not sure how this w*rks. Thanks.

 

[aja8888]

Was the doctor "your" doctor or was s/he from a "pool" of tele-doctors? Not sure how this w*rks. Thanks.

I called the office where I go for my physical. They had a doc call me back which was not my primary. I chatted with him via Facetime on my iPhone and he sent the script to my pharmacy. No in person visit, used available doc.

 

[Koolau]

I called the office where I go for my physical. They had a doc call me back which was not my primary. I chatted with him via Facetime on my iPhone and he sent the script to my pharmacy. No in person visit, used available doc.

I assume you could do that by phone call rather than face time??

I had a "follow-up" for my last steroid shots with my back doctor by phone. We could have done it "visually" through the portal but he chose to call me instead. I was fine with that since all I was doing was reporting my perceived response to the shots.

 

[FlaMariner]

Not sure what you mean?

Using Teledoc and they offer a Primary Care practice. All virtual (web type appointments on my computer).

Are you thinking picking a pcp who you could also see in person and doing virtual appointments or doing one of the teledoc services?

Using Teledoc's Primary Care service......Would never see my Teledoc doctor in person, obviously.....If I had something serious that needed eyes on it or any other specialty, the Teledoc Primary Care "team" would refer me to the specialist.....or blood work, or whatever....just as the in person does today.


Does anyone have any experience using a virtual doctor as a Primary Care Doctor? I've been reading about it online but would like to hear from anyone who is doing that?

 

[Koolau]

Using Teledoc and they offer a Primary Care practice. All virtual (web type appointments on my computer).



Using Teledoc's Primary Care service......Would never see my Teledoc doctor in person, obviously.....If I had something serious that needed eyes on it or any other specialty, the Teledoc Primary Care "team" would refer me to the specialist.....or blood work, or whatever....just as the in person does today.


Does anyone have any experience using a virtual doctor as a Primary Care Doctor? I've been reading about it online but would like to hear from anyone who is doing that?

I don't think I would consider that but I'm old school - especially about my health but YMMV.

 

[FlaMariner]

I don't think I would consider that but I'm old school - especially about my health but YMMV.

I feel the same.....But with us bouncing around to different places during the year, I'd like to learn more about virtual primary care.....Thus far, I have heard from no one first hand.....And I'm not good at being an early adopter/guinea pig.....Hoping to hear from someone who has gone before me.....

 

[Koolau]

I feel the same.....But with us bouncing around to different places during the year, I'd like to learn more about virtual primary care.....Thus far, I have heard from no one first hand.....And I'm not good at being an early adopter/guinea pig.....Hoping to hear from someone who has gone before me.....

I agree, but then, even picking a PCP that you are happy with can be daunting. My last one was NOT ideal but I'm very satisfied with the current one in my home state. I'm just "okay" with my mainland PCP. So, taking a crap shoot on a virtual doc at any given time seems iffy but I don't want to reject the concept. I just need to hear more "war stories" if they are available.

 

[Focus]

Over the years, my PCP check-ups devolved into simply "Hi, anything wrong?" sessions without any physical checks other than taking my blood pressure and checking my pulse. (Are all PCPs now doing this? Were the hands-on checks of the past simply performative?) These check-ups could easily have been done virtually.

Basically the only real tool the PCP was using to gauge my status was an infrequent blood test, which obviously I had to go in for. I'm using the past tense because my PCP became a "concierge doctor," at which point I was dropped from her list. Once I join Medicare in a few months, I'll need to select a new one.

 

[Koolau]

Over the years, my PCP check-ups devolved into simply "Hi, anything wrong?" sessions without any physical checks other than taking my blood pressure and checking my pulse. (Are all PCPs now doing this? Were the hands-on checks of the past simply performative?) These check-ups could easily have been done virtually.

Basically the only real tool the PCP was using to gauge my status was an infrequent blood test, which obviously I had to go in for. I'm using the past tense because my PCP became a "concierge doctor," at which point I was dropped from her list. Once I join Medicare in a few months, I'll need to select a new one.

If I'm scheduled by my PCP for an appointment, he orders blood tests. If I see him for something else, then I have a reason. IOW, there is "some" medical reason to see the PCP. This every 6 months "model" seems like the new standard for people my age but YMMV.

 

[sengsational]

One reason for multiple visits is to get the insurance right.

I went for tennis elbow recently, and on the way out, I said "Oh, by the way, I've got boat travel planned, and I've had the same outdated Scopolamine patches for sea sickness for a decade." So the office called in a prescription, but it was rejected by Part-D because you don't use Scop patches for a sore elbow, LOL!

 

[rk911]

The two times we've used a vide visit with a doc for what we believed to be an urgent health issue we were told to go to the Urgent Care clinic. And both trips to the UC clinic ended the same way...a trip to the ER.

We have no trouble getting in to see our primary doc as needed between scheduled visits. We schedule our routine 6-month visits 6-months in advance.

 

[TripleLindy]

I can see my PCP virtually or in person. I don’t think the annual wellness exam is offered virtually, though, as it’s a “physical” exam and includes labs. But for most everything else, I use virtual visits. Granted, I’m in good health and rarely need any kind of visit, but I’ve used virtual visits for some minor stuff. My most recent was for my back where the doc prescribed steroids. If I had needed pain meds or a muscle relaxer, I think an in person visit would have been required. I’ve also used virtual visits when I needed a referral to a specialist. My PCP would see me via video and then order the referral.

If your current primary care doc is part of a large health system, he/she probably offers virtual visits. They’re more than likely using the Epic IT system and the patient portal has virtual visits built in. You wouldn’t need to switch to Teledoc.

 

[Just_Steve]

If I'm not mistaken medicare is not going to pay for virtual visits after September 2025 except for very limited areas.

 

[Koolau]

If I'm not mistaken medicare is not going to pay for virtual visits after September 2025 except for very limited areas.

I hadn't heard this. Is there a "reason" listed for this change?

 

[Just_Steve]

I hadn't heard this. Is there a "reason" listed for this change?

I only briefly seen the notice at my doctors office, didn't pay it much mind as I'm not on medicare yet.

 

[Sarah S]

I hadn't heard this. Is there a "reason" listed for this change?

The covid telehealth expansion was only temporary. Congress had extended it multiple times, often at the last minute. There have been several bills to make it permanent but they have not passed. The last extension expires 9/30 unless congress acts.

 

[RetiredHappy]

My concierge PCP sees me in person as well as Telehealth if needed. I even texted and emailed him from London when I caught COVID. My insurance also has a Telehealth system where we can see their Nurse Practioner via Telehealth for free, i.e. no co-pay.

 

[Koolau]

The covid telehealth expansion was only temporary. Congress had extended it multiple times, often at the last minute. There have been several bills to make it permanent but they have not passed. The last extension expires 9/30 unless congress acts.

Thanks for the information. I wasn't aware of the history.