Q: What is telemedicine?
A: Telemedicine is the “remote” diagnosis and treatment of patients by means of technology such as computers, tablets, smart phones and telephone calls. Telemedicine allows for quality care to be provided conveniently and efficiently, especially for those patients who may struggle with getting to traditional, in person appointments.
Q: What is the “hybrid model” that Primary Convenient Care offers?
A: The “hybrid model” that PCC offers is a new age thinking and utilization of today’s technology. PCC takes healthcare from a primarily in-office setting and brings it right to you. Really… your healthcare is done where it’s convenient and private for you such as work, home or even from your couch. The hybrid part of the business is that we will have a physical location to be used on an as needed basis for situations such as face to face annual wellness check or have care that requires you to be seen in person. Minor procedures and testing will also be done in office at variable times. The best thing about PCC’s model is the varied times, convenience of where the care can be provided, and the possibility of seeing someone face to face if the provider deems necessary. It is really a win-win. Lastly, the hybrid model comes with the ability of house-calls to be determined on a case-by-case basis, when and if deemed necessary by the provider and if considered medically necessary by their insurance providers.
Q: How is PCC different from standard in office care?
A: The Hybrid model used by PCC takes away the necessity of needing to make it to an in-office appointment. If an appointment can be squeezed in quickly on a patient’s lunch break or if a patient can take advantage of PCC’s convenient evening and weekend hours (times will change often, must refer to schedule to see what appointments are available that week) that patient has the ability for more consistent and wholesome care. PCC offers the same high quality and efficient care as a traditional office, with much more convenience. As a patient, this means we are able to better accommodate your busy lifestyle by bringing care to you with minimal necessary in office appointments With PCC you have the ability to know who your provider is, know that we are nearby to get full, high quality and complete care from urgent care visits, to basic primary care, and chronic management.
Q: Are there limits to my care?
A: Most things can easily be diagnosed and treated with telemedicine, even without physically being able to touch and feel during an assessment. Much of the diagnostic approach from a provider is done by gathering a complete history and getting a patient’s perception of what physical symptoms they have been having. Having audio/visual appointments allows the providers to still see and listen to the patient to assess appropriately. A provider may have a patient do certain skills and ask them to tell them what they hear, feel, etc. to get the best understanding of what they may be dealing with.
We can get labs and diagnostics done for a patient just as they would with an in-office type of visit, however; these will be ordered and faxed to a place convenient to the patient such as our laboratory partner (QUEST diagnostics), or at a nearby hospital, or imaging center for diagnostics.
Of course, some appointments and procedures may only be able to be done in the office. These include annual face-to-face visit, minor procedures such as joint injections, steroid injections, incision and drainage, pap smear, ear irrigations etc.
Q: How will you monitor my health remotely?
A: We’ve got you covered! For patient’s with chronic health conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, asthma, COPD (and more!) we have a partnership with ACCUHEALTH Remote Patient Monitoring. Remote patient monitoring means that at no charge to you (pending insurance coverage), you will be provided devices to help us monitor your health from your home. These include blood pressure cuffs, glucometers, scales and more. These special devices keep track of your readings and send them directly to your team for review. This means that we can keep close track of your health- even if we’re not seeing you in person.
Q: Will my insurance cover telemedicine?
A: Due to the pandemic, all insurances are currently covering telemedicine in full. However, after the pandemic it is possible that insurance companies will require once annual face-face visits in order to cover subsequent telehealth visits. If this change occurs, we can provide those appointments at our soon-to-come office location.
Q: What technology do I need for my appointment?
A: It is necessary to have internet access or cell phone service for audio/visual appointments. Telephone only appointments can possibly be accommodated, but we highly prefer audio/visual appointments. After the pandemic is considered over, telephone only visits may not be covered by the insurance. Computers, laptops, smartphones, tablets and telephone can all be used to complete your telemedicine visits.
Q: How do I make an appointment?
A: Appointments can be made via the Patient Portal from the Primary Convenient Care website (see link above) or by clicking here.
Q: How will my appointment be conducted?
A: Once you have scheduled the appointment, you will be sent a link that allows you to access the appointment at your scheduled time. Prior to your appointment you will be asked to provide any insurance information as well as questionnaires about your health history. Once this is complete, we will start our appointment. The providers will have a camera and audio so we can see each other face to face, and we will conduct the appointment as you would expect at an in-office appointment. We will schedule follow-up if needed, and we will let you know our plan, and set up any necessary diagnostics, laboratory testing etc. that needs to be complete prior to next appointment.
Q: If I have a question do I have access to my provider?
A: We make asking questions easy! Through your Patient Portal account, you will have the ability to send messages with questions or concerns directly to your provider. This is both private and HIPPA protected. We do have a phone number to be used if needed, however keep in mind, messages left via phone are checked less frequently than Patient Portal messages.
Q: Do you offer flexible appointment times?
A: Yes! Flexible, convenient hours is something PCC prides itself on and is something that sets us apart from other practices. Evening and weekend hours will be available in addition to more traditional weekday hours. Hours may vary from week to week and new availability is added frequently so feel free to keep checking to find a time that works best for you!
Q: What if I don’t have insurance?
A: No insurance, no problem. We do accept self-pay. Self-pay fees are listed on our website so you know up front what you will be paying. Payment for self pay appointments will be due at time of service. House-calls are a part of self-pay as well, again please see the fee schedule for full list of charges.
Q: If I have a primary care provider can I still see you if I’m sick?
A: Absolutely. We can be here for your urgent care needs, as well as we can be your sole provider. Whatever you need, we hope to be able to fulfill your healthcare needs to the best of our ability.
Q: What qualifies me for a house call visit?
A: For those with insurance, you must be deemed medically necessary in order for them to pay for the visit. Things that may qualify you include not being able to walk well, being at high risk of falls, shortness of breath with little exertion, etc. This is something you can discuss with a provider prior to an appointment so that we can determine if you fall into the “medically necessary” category.
For patients without insurance and those who wish to pay out of pocket for a home visit, please speak with your provider to determine if a home visit may be possible.
Q: What is my Patient Portal?
A: The Patient Portal is a complementary account that allows you to book appointments, complete forms, request prescription refills, receive test results, pay bills, contact your provider and much more!
Q: What kind of care can I expect from telemedicine?
A: The care that you will get from telemedicine will be just as thorough and complete as in office visits, but better! We have more time to make our appointments suited to our patients. We want you to know how much your health means to us and we want you to have an experience like no other. We are not a gap in health care, rather we are filling the gaps in healthcare. You will not just get comparable care, you will get better care. Private, more time, more personalized service.
Q: Is my health information and appointment kept private?
A: Yes, your privacy is of our utmost priority. All of our services used to communicate health information are strictly HIPPA compliant unless specified.
Q: Is telemedicine here to stay?
A: It is! Isn’t that great. Telemedicine has been emerging for some time now, but there has been pushback around the globe. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has allowed people to see the value in telemedicine and how hugely beneficial it can be. Telemedicine is not a band-aid to help heal something in the moment, it is the wave of the future. It allows those that struggle to make and keep appointments to not cancel. It is convenient and time-friendly and allows us to extend our care to populations that may otherwise go without healthcare.
Q: Will I ever be seen in an office?
A: In short, possibly. The premise of PCC is to make the care easily accessible and convenient for our patients. We can most often provide care by way of the audio/visual appointments rather than in-office and expect to provide telemedicine appointments the majority of the time. That being said, we will have a physical location available should the need for an in-person appointment arise.