How to Make the Most of Your Telemedicine / Telehealth Virtual Headache Visit скачать в хорошем качестве

How to Make the Most of Your Telemedicine / Telehealth Virtual Headache Visit

Tips you need to get the best "virtual" visit with your headache doctor during coronavirus COVID-19. Whether you have migraine, cluster headache or any other headache diagnosis, the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is totally changing the way people living with headache get their headache care. One of the biggest changes is the end to face-to-face office visits. Instead of seeing your doctor in the office, you are probably going to be asked to do a virtual visit. What’s a virtual visit? It’s a visit between you and your doctor using videoconferencing. The good news is that it’s a lot like using Facetime, Skype or Facebook Messenger Video Chat. And, if you’re watching this, you probably have the basic equipment you need for a telemedicine virtual visit. But after dozens and dozens of virtual visits, take it from me, it’s a radically new way of working together to solve headache problems during this crisis, and there’s a big learning curve. So, what can you do to make the most of your virtual headache visit? First, sign up for your doctor's patient portal. If your doctor uses an electronic health record, it probably has a patient portal. A patient portal is a secure website that you can log onto and access your records, update your medical history, send and receive secure emails and attachments, and request refills. Examples of portals include Epic MyChart and Cerner Healthelife. To get the most out of your telehealth / telemedicine / virtual visit, you will also need to get your hardware ready. Smartphone. Tablet. Laptop. Desktop computer with video camera and headset. Charge your batteries because a virtual visit can take 30 or 60 minutes, or even longer. You will need an internet connection of 1.5 Mbps or more: DSL, cable, 4g. Install the telehealth / telemedicine app / software that your headache provider is using. Zoom. VSee. Skype. You may have to adjust your security settings / give permissions so that your software / app can use your camera and microphone. Don't forget to test your connection. The next thing to do to get the most out of your telehealth / telemedicine / virtual visit is to gather household items that can be useful for the encounter. Bathroom scale, tape measure, thermometer, blood pressure cuff, pulse oximeter, flashlight, cotton swab, toothpick, ice cube. Make time and a place for the appointment. Appointment time +/- minutes. Join the virtual waiting room 5 to 15 minutes before your visit. Your doctor will probably be on time. Don't stay in the waiting room or online longer than needed, because this can take up limited internet bandwidth and cause problems for other users. Find a quiet, private location. It should be big enough that you can move back from the camera so the doctor can examine you. You may need a helper to hold the camera, fetch things, or for safety. Avoid backlighting. Know the flow of your visit. Your doctor will send you a secure link to the visit. Don't share it. Keep it secure. Doctor should show ID, and ask you to identify yourself. Doctor will read a disclaimer and ask if you understand and agree. You and your doctor will discuss general medical information: medical and surgical history, family history, medications, allergies, pharmacy, and a top-to-bottom quick review or "review of systems". In depth discussion of your headache history. Get your headache calendar ready. The virtual examination is not one size fits all. It can be quick or very long and detailed. The doctor may ask you things like memory questions, and may ask you to move close to the camera to check your pupils or eye movements, or far away to check things like coordination, balance and strength. After that, you and your doctor will probably discuss your diagnosis or a range of diagnoses, testing, treatment plan and follow up plan. A good treatment plan includes: Prevention (at least considering it): Lifestyle, supplements (CoQ10, vitamin B2 / riboflavin, magnesium, feverfew, etc.), topiramate, amitriptyline, divalproex / Depakote, propanolol / atenolol, Botox, Aimovig, Ajovy, Emgality, Vyepti. Acute treatment: Imitrex / sumatriptan, Maxalt / rizatriptan, other triptans, naproxen, ibuprofen, other NSAIDS, metoclopramide, other anti-nausea. Rescue treatment: Seroquel / quetiapine and others. Check your portal for a written record of your visit. Understand that virtual visits have limitations. For example, you can't do two important tests: the funduscopic examination or the reflex examination. You may need to have a face-to-face visit in person.