Those trying virtual doctor visits for the first time cite numerous benefits
Although the medical community has been advocating for telehealth for years, it’s only now, in the midst of a global pandemic, that many Americans are getting a chance to experience it firsthand.
To protect patients and themselves from the coronavirus, medical providers in nearly every specialty have made the leap to virtual appointments, bolstered by Medicaid’s and Medicare’s expanded coverage of the practice.
“The American public is getting a crash course in telehealth,” says Mei Wa Kwong, executive director of the Center for Connected Health Policy, a Sacramento, California–based nonprofit that promotes the use of technology in health care. “After this I think you’re going to see people saying, ‘Why do I have to go to the office and sit for an hour and be exposed to sick people? During COVID-19 I took care of this virtually.’ “