This resource explains in general what a telemedicine visit is.
Are you looking for detailed instructions and information about how to have a telemedicine visit? Then click here to read Getting Ready for Your MSK Telemedicine Visit
That’s the resource to read if you want lots of how-to information. It covers topics such as logging in, getting a link, checking your camera and speakers, insurance and billing, and inviting guests.
What is a telemedicine visit?
A telemedicine visit is when your healthcare provider uses technology to care for you without you having to travel to their office. You and your healthcare provider will see and talk with each other using a computer, smartphone, or tablet. Your healthcare provider will be able to check how you’re doing and diagnose problems. They can come up with a treatment plan for you, all by video. Your video will not be recorded or saved.
What are the benefits of telemedicine visits?
There are many benefits to having a telemedicine visit, including:
- Getting you the care you need without having to travel to the hospital.
- Saving you travel time and money.
- Helping you spend less time at your healthcare provider’s office.
- Letting you have tests done at a local clinic instead of having to commute to the hospital. This depends on where you live.
- Not having to take time off from your responsibilities to travel to the hospital.
- Not having to have a caregiver travel with you to the hospital.
One of the main goals of telemedicine visits is to bring care closer to where you live. Many people say telemedicine visits are like being right in their doctor’s office.
We have offered telemedicine visits at MSK for years in many services, including Psychiatry, Genetics, Supportive Care, and the Bone Marrow Transplant service. Almost everyone finds the quality of care through telemedicine visits to be very high.
What does a telemedicine visit cost?
If you have questions about billing, please see Help With Your Financial Questions at MSK.
Will my information stay private?
Yes. Telemedicine visits meet the strict standards of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This means your privacy is protected, the same as all your visits with your healthcare providers.
How will my telemedicine visit work?
We’ll schedule your telemedicine visit for you. You will use your computer or smart device (smartphone or tablet). You can have your telemedicine visit from any location that’s best for you, such as:
- Home
- Work
- An MSK regional location in New Jersey, Westchester County, and on Long Island
You can also have a friend, family member, or an interpreter join your telemedicine visit.
During your telemedicine visit with your healthcare provider, you will see and hear each other, as if you were in the same office together. Look at the screen to keep eye contact, just like in person.
At the end of your visit, your healthcare provider will give you follow-up instructions, such as appointments or blood work. If there are any technical problems, they can continue your visit over the phone, if needed. If you don’t feel well or are uncomfortable during your visit, tell your healthcare provider.
Telemedicine visits using your computer or smart device
If you have your telemedicine visit from home or work, you can use your computer, smartphone, or tablet. Your healthcare provider will tell you which app or software you’ll need for your telemedicine visit.
You should know your username and password for MyMSK so that you can log on before your visit. If your caregiver manages your MyMSK account for you, make sure they’re with you during your telemedicine visit so they can help you.
Your telemedicine visits will be billed in the same way your in-person visits are billed. For the latest information on how your health plan covers telemedicine visits, call your insurer.
Telemedicine visits from an MSK regional site
If you have your telemedicine visit from an MSK regional site, you’ll need to go to that site on the day of your appointment.
After you check in, a member of our staff will take you to an exam room. The exam room will have a video system in it. We’ll close the door to give you privacy, and a nurse will be in the room with you. Your nurse will check your vital signs and explain how the system works.
At the time of your appointment, your nurse will call your healthcare provider’s office using the touch screen. You may see the office coordinator from your doctor’s office on the screen while they transfer your call. Once you’re connected, you will see your healthcare provider on a large video monitor.
You will see and hear each other, as if you were in the same office together. When you talk with your healthcare provider, look at the screen to keep eye contact, just like in person. If you’re having trouble seeing or hearing them, tell the care coordinator or nurse who brought you to the room.
At the end of your visit, your healthcare provider will give you follow-up instructions, such as appointments or blood work. If there are any technical problems, they can continue your visit over the phone, if needed.
If you don’t feel well or are uncomfortable during your visit, tell your healthcare provider. If you need help, press the red call button on the back wall of the room.
Can my doctor diagnose me during a telemedicine visit?
Many exams can be done during a telemedicine visit. If needed, your healthcare provider may ask you to move a part of your body. That way they can see how well you move or if you have pain.
Sometimes video is not the best way to examine you. This is rare. Your care team knows the reason for your visit, so we know if a telemedicine visit right for you and safe.
Does my telemedicine visit go in my medical record?
Yes. Your healthcare provider will document the visit in your medical record. It is the same as if your visit were in person.
Feedback Survey
A few days after your telemedicine visit, we will send you a survey about your experience. Your feedback is important to us. We will use it to improve this service for our patients.
