Sky Lakes Medical Center | Live Smart | Summer 2020

SkyLakes.org | LIVE smart 7 The benefits of tele-visits THE DOCTOR IS IN Tele-visits are available at Sky Lakes Primary Care Clinic, 541-274-8400 , and Cascades East Family Medicine Clinic, 541-274-6733 , 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Instructions are a t SkyLakes.org . Virtual clinic visits—telemedicine conversations—were being developed before the COVID-19 pandemic as a handy way for people to visit with a medical provider from a distance. But with the arrival of the pandemic and the risk of person-to-person infection, the virtual office visit is gaining even more fans. In a tele-visit, you use your computer, smartphone or other mobile device to have a safe and effective medical visit with your provider. Benefits include: Use a good webcam. Your computer probably came with one. Set the camera at eye level. Make sure your volume is turned on. Try out your microphone before the visit. Use a wired internet connection instead of Wi-Fi, if possible. Close other computer programs you won’t need during the visit. Adjust the device setting to not go into sleep/screen saver mode so the call does not drop. Find a quiet space where you won’t be interrupted. Have your provider’s phone number with you in case your connection goes down. You can help your tele-visit go more smoothly by following these steps: ▸ ▸ Not having to travel to the clinic; and ▸ ▸ Less contact with other people— that’s particularly helpful in the age of COVID-19. What you can expect froma virtual visit A tele-visit is much like an office visit. You’ll have an appointed time to check in, by way of a mobile device. When the provider is ready to see you, you’ll be connected through a video link. The provider will have your chart on another computer screen. Sources: AARP; American Academy of Family Physicians Tele-visits are not for all appointments. For true emergencies (e.g., chest pain, stroke, etc.), call 911 or go to the Emergency Department.