TAMPA, Fla. — To prevent hospitals from being overburdened during the COVID-19 outbreak, some healthcare groups are calling on more patients to take advantage of telehealth options. 10News reporter Emerald Morrow spoke with AdventHealth about how telehealth works and when you should use it.
NOTE: This interview has been edited for content and length.
Reporter: What exactly is telehealth?
Dr. John Morrison: Telehealth is a technology that enables a physician to treat a patient via video medium. There are several advantages to that. In third world countries where there's not a lot of direct access to health care, telehealth enables physicians to treat patients that wouldn't normally be treated. It's a wonderful technology.
Reporter: How is telehealth useful during a pandemic like the one we’re experiencing now?
Dr. Morrison: People are very concerned about exposure and further propagation of the virus. Telehealth has several advantages: If patients are sick at home, they can be seen and treated at home without having to leave the house, which is very good. It helps the patient and helps stop the spread because they're not exposing themselves to other patients.
Reporter: Telehealth gives patients the option to talk to a doctor via video conferencing, but what about populations who don’t have that access or who are not well-versed in using that technology? Seniors, for example.
Ashley Jeffery, AdventHealth spokesperson: Seniors can always call their practices directly.
Reporter: How helpful is telehealth in alleviating the burden of having so many patients at doctors’ offices and hospitals during the COVID-19 outbreak?
Dr. Morrison: We're setting up some systems now to help alleviate the different patients and the onslaught of calls that we're going to receive. I agree telehealth is something that certainly will be here in the future, but I think the future is now.
Reporter: What about the cybersecurity of telehealth systems?
Dr. Morrison: Information is very secure and we've taken great efforts to also stick with HIPAA rules and security so they can feel safe by utilizing that platform.
Emerald Morrow is a reporter with 10News WTSP. Like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter. You can also email her at emorrow@wtsp.com.
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