In today’s episode, guests Dr. Aruni Jayatilleke and Dr. Christine Peoples are invited to talk about telemedicine. You do not want to miss this conversation on the good, the bad, and the ugly aspects of telemedicine, along with how to have a successful appointment, what financial coverage is available, and what the future looks like.
Dr. Hausmann jumps into the conversation asking his guests about the sudden uptick in telemedicine over the past year and the relaxed standards that have occurred. A key question discussed is if the infrastructure was present before the pandemic, what were the barriers from doing more telemedicine visits prior to COVID-19? Dr. Peoples shares that she has worked in this space for the past seven years, but the pandemic certainly thrust telemedicine into the spotlight.
They go on to discuss the details of CMS coverage and the quick shift in medical facilities and hospitals to assist patients who were in their own homes. They also talk about the challenges and benefits for some rural areas to reach those patients who are unable to get to doctor visits.
The conversation continues with a discussion of other benefits like patients thinking more about their symptoms on a day-to-day basis, the relaxed conversational feel of telehealth visits, and the education providers can share with patients. While the format, style, and feel of these visits are more conversational, it also means providers are relying heavily on the patients’ responses and must guide patient expectations while working through the issues via phone call. This has also fundamentally changed rheumatology training. The conversation goes into how have providers dealt with the inability to physically touch patients, the importance of the physical exam to diagnose, and ways they have found to enhance the information received within the current limitations.
Other questions and concerns addressed include:
- What are the drawbacks of telemedicine where it’ is falling short?
- Getting patients back into the offices to keep better “tabs” on them.
- Determining if limited phone relationships lead to less investment from patients.
- Distinguishing the best visit type for each patient.
- Will physicians continue to be reimbursed for telehealth visits beyond April 2021?
- What can rheumatologists and patients do to make the best of these telemedicine visits?
This conversation comes to a close as the host and guests discuss healthcare disparities and the future of telemedicine. Will telemedicine bridge the gap, or will it make the healthcare disparities even greater? Listen to the variables that can affect or support patient access in between office visits—smartphones, Wi-Fi access, email access, etc. They talk about getting patients access to the technology they need. Lastly, the host and guests talk about the possibilities for collaboration and a multidisciplinary approach for future visits.
Speaker Aruni Jayatilleke, MD - Dr. Aruni Jayatilleke is the program director for the rheumatology fellowship at Temple University. She has been involved in the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance’s initiatives in response to the pandemic. Her research interests include digital technology in rheumatology and in medical education. She also has clinical interests in reproductive health in rheumatology as well as in SAPHO syndrome.
Speaker Christine Peoples, MD - Dr. Christine Peoples is currently a clinical assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Peoples earned a bachelor’s in biology from Allegheny College and went on to receive her medical degree from the Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine. She completed her internship and residency in internal medicine at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and her fellowship in rheumatology at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. She is board certified in internal medicine and rheumatology. She is a champion of telehealth and recognizes the opportunity to expand much-needed clinical care to rheumatology patients regardless of geographic location.
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