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Over the past 12 months, how many telehealth appointments have you had with your main diabetes care provider?
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I have had more than 5, but I am also in a diabetes telehealth study.
Medicare requires me to see my diabetes provider every 90 days so we’ve had 4 telehealth visits over the past year. We’ve only had 1 in-person visit and that was before the pandemic started.
I only had one but it wasn’t about my diabetes. My endo is my primary so I had a virtual appointment about a back pain crisis while I was out of town. I was so grateful to be able to see someone about it and to get the ball rolling for help with it.
I did have a telehealth appointment with my Primary, which actually went better than any of my other doctor appointments usually go.
This year I have had 3 in-person appointments with my endo – no telehealth visits. My endo was also brand new to me as of January and I think it would have been weird if it wasn’t in person. In 2020 I had my final appointment with my previous endo in early March. Never made it to the follow-up last year.
I ‘hear’ what you say, LizB, about it seeming “weird”, but that’s what happened with my first meeting with my new Diabetes Specialist Nurse/Certified Diabetes Educator.
I actually met her when she was summoned to come and see me in a hospital ward that I’d been admitted to when I had COVID-19, and that was only to bring me a newer Ketone Testing meter. Obviously, with her wearing a mask I still wouldn’t be able to identify her if I met her in the street. š
My first face-to-face visit to see my new DSN/CDE will be on 17th December 2021.
Unless appointments are for very routine discussion, I don’t see Telehealth as an alternative. I’m also concerned that telehealth appointments cost the same, yet seem even more constrained by time and ability for a doctor to detect something that bears further investigation. I had two Telehealth appts with a Gastroenterologist for eval of Chronic Pancreatitis, one consisted solely of review of an initial test, obviously no physical eval, to confirm he wanted further testing done (what a waste of time and money…Medicare’s not mine). The other consisted solely of him telling me the tests from the first appt didn’t show anything warranting further investigation (again, what a waste of both our times and Medicare’s money…he could have sent me an email, but better than a physical meeting for the same effort). Telehealth has a time/place and can be of great use, but it seems a lot of it is to meet questionable Medicare requirements, enrichment of doctors, little practical benefit to the patients, and great cost to insurance, government, and people.
I’ve had 4, but the last one was a waste of both our time. My pump wouldn’t upload, so we had nothing to talk about pertaining my sugars. I had other questions but….
Only telehealth was once this year with a PA.
Had 3 telephone visits and 1 in person visit.
2 telecare health visits, but we’re back to face-to-face visits now.
Last year I had one, at the outset of the pandemic, but since he does an A1C during each visit I donāt see any value in televisits.
Oops, didnāt read the question fully. I put 2, but itās actually 0.
I’ve had 2 with my endo, with 1 in-person in-between. I’d much prefer the in-person, but, at least the telehealth appointments aren’t interrupted numerous times. She’s stretched so many ways by a huge patient load I guess I should be grateful for a full 30 minute appointment.
I chose other as I have had 0 telehealth appointments, 3 in person, and 1 by texting back and forth with the clinic for a needed new Rx for meter and test strips.
Zero, via Zoom. Had one by phone. Prefer in-person. Can email my primary, endocrinologist, dermatologist, pharmacy, et al. Do emails count as telehealth? If so, add 5 or 6 contacts. Pharmacy refills via phone or website as telehealth? Count even more.
There was only 1 appointment in 2020 at the beginning of pandemic then all appointments every 4 months have been in person at my Endocrinolgistās office.
A1C, pump changes, anything effecting my health MUST be done in person—no telehealth apts for diabetes !!!
Four, I did all of my quarterly endo appointments via Zoom. They seem to be productive and saved me the cost and time of driving to the doctor’s office (hospital). Lots of time saved, and no waiting in the waiting room. Although, nothing beats a face-to-face conversation. Unable to check my vitals, which I did myself, or check my feet, which I did myself.