Telehealth
What is Telehealth?
Telehealth is the use of virtual communication and visual platforms to provide healthcare services remotely to patients. Various technologies can be employed for telehealth services to be conducted, including computers and mobile devices, such as tablets and smartphones. At Aptiva Health, this may be technology you use from home or at an on-site clinic in another geographic region from the physical location of your healthcare provider. Telehealth can also be technology that your health care provider uses to improve or support health care services.
The goals of telehealth, sometimes called e-health or m-health (mobile health), include the following:
Make healthcare easier to access for people who live in communities that are in remote or rural locations.
Offer initial evaluations to determine further healthcare needs and develop a treatment plan.
Make services more easily offered or convenient for patients who have limited mobility or transportation.
Offer access to medical specialists.
Improve communication and coordination of care among healthcare team members and a person receiving care.
Offer advice for self-management of health care.
Provide mental wellness services.
Ensure patients are following prescribed treatment plans and protocols.
Many people found telehealth helpful during the COVID-19 pandemic and still employ this technology for continued healthcare needs.
Virtual Visits
At Aptiva Health, we most often offer telemedicine to provide remote specialty care. These visits allow you to see one of our specialty providers, mental health therapists or a member of our concussion team through your smartphone or other mobile device.
Virtual visits can offer care in many conditions such as triage care following an injury, mental wellness, therapy, concussion testing and treatment, and a variety of additional specialty healthcare services. These visits allow you to get care from a provider when you are not able to be seen at one of our physical locations.
Before your visit, your virtual healthcare team will send you information and forms to fill out online and return prior to your appointment. Our virtual care team will also make sure you have the technology you need to facilitate the visit. Our team will check to see if you need to update or install any software or apps in addition to what is currently installed on your smartphone or mobile device. They can also tell you how to sign-on and join the video chat for your visit. Also, the health care team can explain how to use the microphone, camera and text chat. If needed, ask a family member to help you set up the technology you need.
You only need a smartphone, tablet or computer with internet access to join our virtual visits. You can find a comfortable, quiet, private spot to sit during your visit. Your provider also meets from a private place so that they are in direct communication with you throughout your visit.