6 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Telemedicine Visit With Your Rheumatologist

这COVID-19 pandemichas upended everyday life, including how we see our doctors. But when you’re living with类风湿关节炎（RA），由于世界上正在发生的事情，您不会从管理状况中休息一下。这就是为什么远程医疗访问变得如此重要的原因。

如果您还不喜欢虚拟访问，那没关系。与任何新技术一样，他们可以习惯一些。“我认为对于某些人来说，担心的是，‘我并没有真正看医生。她将如何对待我？’医学博士Nilanjana Bose, a风湿病学家at the Rheumatology Center of Houston. “But with telehealth, you can actually act even more proactively about your RA.” Findings from astudy published in October 2020 in the journalArthritis Care & Research建议telehealth visits are just as effective as in-person visits for RA management。

远程医疗访问对RA的好处

远程医疗有一些独特的好处。它可以：

• Reduce your risk of becoming infected.当您在家中进行虚拟访问时，在预约或在医生办公室的路上时，您不会有可能患有Covid-19或其他感染的风险。这对于people with RAwho are immunocompromised due to their treatments.
• Save time by eliminating your commute to a doctor’s office and missing less work for an appointment.“There are so many situations where you just don’t have the time to go spend two hours on a checkup,” says Dr. Bose. “Instead, you can carve out 20 minutes of your time for a virtual visit, even when you’re working.”
• 提供涵盖的记录。很难记住您和您的风湿病学家在检查期间讨论的所有内容。许多远程医疗平台都可以录制视频以备后备份参考。如果您想要会话记录，请事先检查您是否可以自己执行此操作，或者医生的办公室是否可以为您提供录音。
• Make it less stressful to talk to your doctor.Bose说：“与医生的办公室相比，有些患有RA的人实际上在他们的家庭或工作环境中更舒适。”
• Potentially save you a visit.Not all RA concerns necessitate a virtual visit. If you start to experience a flare-up of symptoms, which can be unpredictable and exhausting, your rheumatologist may have an online patient portal where you can send an email to explain your symptoms. Your doctor can review your medical records, including what medications you’re on, and prescribe treatment as needed, Bose says. “Sometimes, in my practice, we do a phone virtual visit, and sometimes we’ll [do a] telehealth visit,” she adds. But your doctor may determine you need a certain treatment, such as a steroid injection, that willrequire an in-person visit。

充分利用远程医疗参观的提示

有效telemedicine check-inis a little different than doing an in-person visit, but a lot of the same principles still apply. Most of it comes down to being well prepared and choosing the right environment. Get ready for your virtual visit with these tips.

1. 预先测试您的设备。无论您是使用笔记本电脑，平板电脑还是电话，都会尝试事先测试相机和音频。Be sure you have a steady internet connection, and if there’s an online portal you’re using, make sure you have the link and password to log in. If you have any questions about the process, call your doctor’s office before your appointment so you’ll be ready to go on time.
2. 选择一个无干扰的地方供您办理登机手续。“I’ve had people call me when they’re driving or in a car,” says Bose. ”Sometimes it works, but sometimes it doesn’t. Internet connectivity can be spotty when you’re traveling, and the surroundings can be noisy.” Even if you can’t be at home or in an office, try to find a quiet, well-lit spot where you can talk in private.
3. 登录一些。Especially if you’re new to telemedicine, it can take a bit of time to initially log into a system, check your audio, and get settled in — and sneak in a bathroom break before your visit starts! Rather than waiting until your exact appointment time, log in in advance so you won’t feel stressed or be late.
4. 进行所有与面对面访问相同的准备工作。你仍然涵盖所有你我同样的事情n an in-person visit, so treat your virtual check-in as you would any appointment with your rheumatologist. “Make sure to get any necessary labs and imaging done prior to the visit, so you and your rheumatologist can discuss the results in conjunction with your treatment options,” says Bose.
5. Know what to discuss.准备提前提出的任何问题，并告诉您的风湿病医生是否有任何症状改变。在您说话时，请列出您的药物清单，请求您需要的任何补充，并提及您可能正在遇到的任何治疗副作用。鲍斯说，请牢记治疗目标与您的医生讨论：您有足够的疼痛缓解吗？您是否能够运作并保持良好的生活质量？
6. Remember that the camera is your friend.仅仅因为您实际上并不意味着您应该害羞地向医生展示正在发生的事情。选择访问的位置，在那里您可以在相机上向医生展示您的运动范围，关节肿胀和其他症状，就像您在面对面检查中一样。

与任何事物一样，实践变得完美：您要进行的虚拟访问越多，您就会变得越舒适。如果您的初次访问感到有些尴尬，请不要灰心。“我认为远程医疗很可能会留在这里，” Bose说。“因此，我鼓励每个人都熟悉它，因为它确实很方便。”