Insurance claims from telehealth appointments increased by 8,336 percent from April 2019 to April 2020, according to FAIR Health, a nonprofit organization that collects data from private health insurance claims. Even among the four largest telemedicine providers in the U.S. — Amwell, Teladoc, MDLIVE, and Doctor on Demand — telehealth visits increased by 154 percent the last week of March 2020 compared with the same week in March 2019, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The rise in virtual appointments could be a good thing for people with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A study published in March 2020 in the journal Smart Homecare Technology and TeleHealth suggested that people with IBD might communicate with their doctors better when they use telemedicine, which could then help them manage their symptoms more effectively. To get the most out of your virtual IBD visit, follow these five tips from gastroenterologists.
1. Check Your Connection
After scheduling a telehealth visit, read through the instructions about how to connect to your provider. “Our clinic sends instructions via our patient portal, so I recommend patients read through that the day before,” advises Karen Chachu, MD, an assistant professor of medicine in gastroenterology, with a specialty in IBD, at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina. Another tip: Test the Internet connection where you plan to be during your telehealth visit. “If you’re going to be in your car on your lunch break or in a certain room in your home, test your connection there the day before so you know it works,” she says. In a study published in January 2011 in the journal Medical Care, 77 percent of people reported that they were more likely to understand their physicians’ advice when a friend or family member accompanied them. “If you want somebody to be there with you, I encourage it,” says Dr. Chachu. “But make sure the person is ready and there, too.” “If you have a list of questions,” she adds, “make sure your companion collaborates on it with you so you don’t leave anything off.” Just be sure to let your physician know that someone else is in the room, she says.
3. Make a List
Similar to an in-person appointment, it’s best to come prepared. “Think about what kinds of things you want to talk about, and make a list of those topics and questions,” suggests Chachu. “Even if there are only two things on the list, that’s great.” If you have follow-up or nonurgent questions after the appointment, you can connect with your doctor via the patient portal, if one is available. People who have a straightforward question can easily ask their doctor on the patient portal. “However,” she says, “if a patient has a lot of questions, it may be clear we need to schedule an in-person visit instead.” Chachu also suggests bringing a food diary (if you keep one) detailing your flare-ups and triggers. Sharing this information with your doctor can help them recommend treatments for your particular symptoms.
4. Have All of Your Meds With You
It’s always a good idea to have a list of your prescription and over-the-counter medications on hand, but bottles and labels are even better. “It’s easy to forget the dosage of a medication or even the exact brand or ingredients in, say, a probiotic,” says Chachu. “It’s easier to discuss possible interactions and triggers when you have everything in front of you, versus just a list of medications.”
5. Check Your Insurance Plan
Most health insurance plans cover telehealth visits, but you may want to double check with your provider before you schedule a virtual visit, says Chachu. With Medicare and some other insurers, for example, people pay the same amount for the virtual visit as they would for an in-person appointment.
