Telemedicine Visits Save You Time and Travel

A telemedicine visit uses specialized audio and video equipment and a secure Internet connection to enable a medical provider in another location to examine you, ask you questions, consult with your local care team and provide you expert advice. You will be able to see and hear the expert in real time and interact with them much as you would during an in-person appointment.

• If your provider feels that you would benefit from having a telemedicine visit, they will discuss the process and benefits of telemedicine with you before scheduling a telemedicine appointment.
• Telemedicine visits are available in a variety of locations, including MyMichigan emergency departments, inpatient rooms and outpatient clinics. Depending on what equipment is needed, some visits may also be possible from your own home or office. We will work with you to choose the most appropriate and convenient location for you.
• If you require language assistance (such as American Sign Language or a language other than English) please notify your provider so that we can arrange a certified interpreter for your video visit.
• You are welcome to have a visitor or family member participate in your telemedicine visit. Please let our clinical staff know if you want to include someone else in your telemedicine visit. We will also ask you to confirm that you are comfortable with your care team sharing your medical information in front of your visitor or loved one.
• When it is time for your visit, a trained member of our clinical staff will act as the telemedicine presenter. They will operate the audio/visual equipment, take your vital signs or perform other physical examinations as requested by the remote provider, and ensure that all parties can see, hear and understand each other during the visit.
• Our state-of-the-art telemedicine equipment includes peripheral devices that transmit information to the provider, such as a digital stethoscope and a hand-held camera with lenses for ear, nose, throat, general viewing and dermatologic conditions.
• We use a secure connection to protect your privacy during the telemedicine visit. If you are conducting the visit from your home or another non-MyMichigan location, you also have a responsibility to safeguard your privacy by using a secure connection and conducting the visit in a location where your information will not be seen or overhead by others.
• If the specialist recommends any additional testing or interventions for you, our team will work with your provider to place the appropriate orders.

Your care team and the specialists will typically share their conclusions and recommendations with you during or immediately following your virtual visit. A report of your visit will also be documented in your medical record at MyMichigan. This information will be available to your local care team for reference during follow-up care.

You may receive a bill for this service from MyMichigan. You may also receive a separate bill from the specialist if they are not employed by MyMichigan. Medicare and Medicaid typically cover telemedicine visits for patients at rural facilities. Some other insurances may also cover this service. You may want to contact your insurance company to determine your actual coverage regardless of location. However, keep in mind that even if this service is not covered, it can help you to avoid other costs such as travel or ambulance transfer, and it can also ensure you get the timely care you need to prevent a more serious condition or a worsening of your condition.

This same technology can also be used to enable you to communicate with your loved ones from your inpatient room. If you are hospitalized and do not have another means of communicating with a family member during your stay, please ask your care team to assist you in connecting virtually

Benefits

• Safe and effective – Evidence has proven the efficacy of telemedicine when used appropriately.
• Increased access to care – Enables patients especially in rural areas to access services and specialists not available locally.
• Decreased travel – Minimizes hospital-to-hospital transfers, reduces travel time and results in less time off work.
• Lower healthcare costs – Evidence has shown reduced healthcare costs overall when virtual options are available.
• Less exposure – Patients with contagious illness or compromised immune systems may be able to conduct visits at home, eliminating the need to spend time in waiting rooms with others.
• Increased patient satisfaction – Provides patients with more convenient and flexible options for their care.
• Improved patient compliance – Reduces no-shows and cancellations.
• Confidential – We use secure platforms, secure connections and protocols that are compliant with HIPAA patient privacy laws.

Limitations

• Limited physical examination – Due to the lack of hands-on examination, not all visits are appropriate for telemedicine. The assessment is limited to what the provider can see and hear on camera plus what is reported in the physical history or patient record.
• Technology requirements – Both the patient and provider must be able to use technology and have an adequate internet connection. This requires access to a smart phone, tablet, or computer with a webcam and microphone as well as a strong and reliable internet connection with sufficient bandwidth to enable video streaming. Typically, if a patient is unable to stream programs on Netflix or YouTube, a video visit will not work.
• Privacy requirements – The patient and provider share the responsibility for safeguarding privacy by using secure technology and connections and by conducting the visit in a location where information will not be seen or overheard by others.

Our telehealth program is constantly growing and adding more services. Below is an example of available services:

• Advanced Care Planning
• Advanced Heart Failure
• Behavioral Health/Psychiatry
• Cardiology
• Community Mental Health/Crisis Intervention
• Dermatologic Oncology
• Dermatology
• Ear, Nose and Throat
• E-Consults
• Endocrinology
• General Neurology and Acute Stroke
• Gynecologic Oncology
• High Risk Breast Imaging
• Hospital at Home
• Hospital Medicine
• Infectious Disease
• Medicare Wellness Visits
• Movement Disorders
• MyMichigan Hospice/Home Care
• Nephrology
• Nuclear Medicine
• Nutrition Consults
• Oncology/Hematology
• Partial Psychiatry Program
• Pharmacy Medication History
• Post-Op General and Endocrine Surgery
• Post-Op Thoracic Surgery
• Pre-op OB/Gyn
• Respiratory (including vent settings, BiPap adjustments, etc.)
• Sleep Medicine
• SLP Swallow Evaluations
• Special Care Nursery
• Sports Medicine
• Symptom-Specific E-Visits
• TeleICU
• Ten16 Recovery Network Project ASSERT
• Virtual EZCare visits
• Virtual Nursing