The Ins & Outs of Telemedicine: Quick Tips for Patients

COVID-19 Special Series The field of telemedicine offers a diverse range of medical support services through telecommunication. Under the global pandemic, many providers have moved to telemedicine to assist their patients. Our guest discusses the advantages and disadvantages to using video and phone doctor visits and offers tips for best use of the services. Guest: Steve Barczi, MD, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

Episode Topics:

• What is telemedicine? 3:25
• Benefits of telemedicine 8:04
• Downside of telemedicine? 11:05
• Is telemedicine covered by insurance? 13:30  
• How has COVID-19 changed the utilization of telemedicine? 18:27
• Key takeaways 24:20
• Telemedicine tips for people with cognitive impairments and older adults 25:05
• How to prepare for a telemedicine visit 28:14
• Best practices for a telemedicine visit 30:45

Show Notes: All of the important issues happening right now cannot be fully covered, so we strongly encourage you to go to trusted sources for specific information, such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, your state and local health department websites, and the Alzheimer's Association. You can also find resources on our website, and that of the Wisconsin Alzheimer's Institute. For other interesting and important stories on the COVID-19 pandemic, I would recommend my colleague at UW Health Jonathan Kohler, MD, MA, of the Surgery Sett podcast who has a special series called The Frontlines of COVID.