BASICS: TELEMEDICINE AT HERITAGE PEDIATRICS
You are scheduled for a telemedicine visit with your physician at Heritage Pediatrics. This means that instead of coming into the office, we can perform your health visit by video call. During times of extraordinary need, these telehealth visits are used to increase healthcare access and to reduce in person risk to contagious diseases.
Consent
It is important that you understand that when telemedical consults occur, it is possible that they will not permit the same level of information to a clinician. We feel that in times of extraordinary medical need such as pandemics, telemedicine strikes the best balance between increasing access to expert providers while reducing contagion risk. By using telemedicine, you understand that the decisions which are made reflect the fact that a physical exam cannot be performed. You accept that there may be an increased risk of incorrect diagnosis, under treatment and overtreatment.
What does it cost?
For a non-well checkup such as a sick reason or consult, the visit cost is no different than in person. Copays may be required. Nearly all insurances are covering this service due to the pandemic.
For well visits/checkups, insurance companies are not currently covering these services. The doctors at Heritage Pediatrics feel strongly that these must continue and are assuming the financial cost if these do not get paid by insurance. If your insurance plan normally covers well visits, you will not be expected to pay anything for a well visit if your insurance does not cover the cost of the well visit. If you are on a plan that doesn’t cover well visits, you will be charged the same as you would have in the office. As has been the case for the past several years, if during a well visit we discuss and treat a separate medical issue (ie an ear infection), we may bill a modified sick visit within the well visit. In that case, your insurance may charge you a copay or the visit may go towards your deductible. See: Financial Concerns Regarding Telemedicine
How do you prepare?
First, follow the instructions for your visit found here for a well check and here for a non-well check (sick/consult). Then, 10-15 minutes before your appointment time, please go to your doctor’s direct weblink below to wait in the virtual waiting room. You can use a computer, phone, or tablet as long as it has a working camera and microphone. Open any browser and go to the address for your provider listed below. Mobile iOS requires the use of Safari. You must accept the use of your camera for use. From there it will direct you how to check-in. When your pediatrician is finished with his previous patient, he will join. Bear in mind that just as in person, he may be behind or ahead. You are welcome to concurrently call the front desk if you want to know if he is on time.
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Is it confidential?
Heritage Pediatrics uses a doxy.me, a specific technology that is heavily encrypted and verified to be HIPAA compliant. There are no recordings of the visit made. If we have technical difficulty and move to a different platform such as Skype or Facetime, there is some privacy risk that must be assumed. State law is currently permitting these less secure methods due to pandemic emergency order.
Who needs to be there?
Visits require the presence of your child. They may play nearby if they are young until we need a visual exam. Older children and teens should be available to respond to questions.
Anything Else?
Currently, this is a temporary measure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Heritage Pediatrics does not intend to continue this service outside of pandemic times.
Again, if you have any questions, feel free to call before or after the visit. We hope this makes access to our doctors much more convenient for you. We are grateful that you chose to make such an effort to come and see us.
