If someone had sent me a Zoom meeting request last year, I would not have known what Zoom was, and I certainly would not have known how to join a virtual meeting. Flash forward to today, when I have three Zoom calls and am a pro at wearing collared shirts and sweatpants.<\/p>\n
There is no denying that COVID-19 has increased the nations dependence on technology for communication. In particular, the pandemic has more or less forced the medical community to embrace virtual patient visits. As a medical and public health student, I initially struggled with the idea. As I saw the schedule of virtual visits, I snarked about the loss of the patient-physician relationship. I value looking my patient in the eye as he expresses his worry about his recent hearing loss influencing his profession as a pianist, noticing the subtle downturn of her lips as I suggest she cut back on her soda intake, appreciating the calluses of a woodworker as I perform my physical exam. But over time I realized that virtual visits have their advantages.<\/p>\n
Virtual medical care increases health care access, protects those whose immune systems are compromised, and decreases anxiety about valued time lost to travel and missed work. For example, a young, working mother of three seeking a refill of her diabetes medication who had a physical exam and lab work at her OB-GYN appointment last week is a great candidate for a virtual visit. She does not have to find a babysitter and take off work yet again. An 84-year old man who just finished his second round of chemotherapy being seen for a mental health visit does not have to be exposed to the wealth of bacteria a clinic setting has to offer.<\/p>\n
Moreover, patients tend to be more comfortable in the familiarity of their own homes. In one particular visit, I could almost feel a patients anxiety decrease as her shoulders settled from her ears to her chest, her relaxed mannerism flowing through the screen as I watched her Yorkie sniff around in the background.<\/p>\n
I would be nave to state that virtual visits are superior to in-person visits, but they provide a valuable resource that should be embraced in certain situations post-COVID. Virtual visits provide a unique opportunity for patients and physicians alike, and thus should be an adaptation the medical community preserves post-pandemic. I hope that we as a medical community will continue to embrace virtual visits, realizing that sometimes a screaming toddler echoing in the background is an even trade for the time saved, comfort gained, and the availability of virtual medicine.<\/p>\n
AMANDA RUSHING<\/p>\n
MD\/MPH candidate, LSUHSC New Orleans<\/p>\n
Baton Rouge<\/p>\n
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More here: <\/p>\n
Letters: Virtual medicine is a COVID-era innovation worth keeping - The Advocate<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" If someone had sent me a Zoom meeting request last year, I would not have known what Zoom was, and I certainly would not have known how to join a virtual meeting. Continue reading