Myths about telemedicine. We debunk the most repeated ones!

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Although telemedicine in Poland is becoming more and more popular, there are still false information about telemedicine services. Due to their prevalence, we decided to debunk the most frequently repeated myths about telemedicine. Did you also believe in some of them?

MYTH: Teleconsultation with a doctor takes place only over the phone

FACT: Teleconsultation with a physician can take place over the phone, but it is not the only way to contact a specialist. Apart from a phone call, you can choose between a chat with a doctor and a video consultation. The patient decides for himself which form of contact with a specialist is appropriate for him.

MYTH: The doctor cannot perform the examination because he cannot see the patient

FACT: If a patient chooses a phone call or chat as a form of contact, the doctor will not actually see him. The patient may, however, send photos showing the problem in front of the television, as well as the results of previous tests (if any) so that the doctor can read the medical documentation before the meeting. However, if we choose a videoconsultation visit, the specialist will see us during the interview.

MYTH: Telemedicine excludes seniors because of the tools used

FACT: Initially, the process of making an e-visit may seem complicated, but telemedicine clinics have introduced a number of facilities, also due to seniors who do not often use electronic devices with Internet access. At the moment, the path looks like this:

1. clicking on a convenient date of consultation,
2. filling in the registration form,
3. payment for advice in a selected telemedicine facility,
4. receiving a link leading to the consultation window.

MYTH: Teleportation is not a substitute for direct contact between the doctor and the patient

FACT: Teleporting is not intended to replace direct physician-patient contact. The main task of telemedicine services with the use of appropriate tools is to provide the best possible care to patients who, during an on-line meeting, can discuss the test results with a specialist or talk about health problems.

1. When is it worth deciding on telemedicine advice?

FACT: Television is not a substitute for traditional healthcare

Although a television visit is a universal form of contact with a doctor, it is not a solution intended to replace traditional health care. In certain situations, only medical advice given by a doctor in person will be adequate. This may include situations requiring a physical examination, but it is primarily of concern emergenciesfor example, suspicion of a heart attack, loss of consciousness or very severe pain – in such cases, a visit to the HED may be necessary.

MYTH: During a television visit, a patient cannot get a full diagnosis

FACT: During a television visit, the patient can receive a full diagnosis, both in the case of continuation of traditional treatment (e.g. heart disease) and diagnosis during a one-time e-visit (e.g. colds). During the teleconsultation, the doctor will conduct a detailed interview with the patient. If we are stressed, before the visit, we can write down all the questions that we would like to ask the specialist on a piece of paper. Thanks to this, the conversation will run smoothly and the doctor will be able to make a diagnosis.

1. How to prepare for an e-visit to a cardiologist?

FACT: Telemedicine is not the solution to all health problems

FACT: Although telemedicine speeds up contact with a doctor, it is not always a direct response to a patient’s problems. In some situations, the doctor may decide that an in-person meeting is necessary. This can happen when remote contact and the information gathered in the medical history are insufficient to make a diagnosis. Examples of health problems that may require going to the doctor’s office are, for example, sudden vision problems, toothache, injuries of the locomotor system.

MYTH: A doctor will not be able to help if a patient feels unwell during an e-visit

FACT: Doctors providing telemedicine services are prepared for the fact that when talking to them, patients may feel bad and need immediate medical attention. Therefore, they may first ask the patient for his exact location, including the address. The specialist will call for help and provide the patient with advice in such a way as to minimize the risk of life threatening.

FACT: Telemedicine will not help you at every stage of your treatment

Telemedicine works well as a tool for monitoring the patient’s health (prescriptions, periodic consultations), as well as at the beginning of diagnostics, as it allows you to plan further steps, emergency solutions and necessary tests. However, the next stages of medical assistance usually go beyond telemedicine. After performing a telemedicine assessment of the patient’s health, it may be necessary to go to the office for a physical examination, imaging or laboratory tests, and sometimes to undergo an appropriate treatment.

MYTH: When you make an appointment, you have to wait a long time to talk to a doctor

FACT: Currently, more and more doctors, apart from the traditional practice in a hospital or clinic, decide to conduct teleconsultation. For this reason, the choice of a specialist is greater, which is directly related to the fact that you do not have to wait long for an interview. On the haloDoctor website, under the name of the doctor, we also have the hours of his appointments, which definitely makes it easier to choose not only a specialist, but also the date of the telemedicine consultation.

1. Tomasz Grzelewski, MD, PhD on the advantages of telemedicine: I can help an ocean of patients

MYTH: The visit may not take place, although the patient has paid for the teleportation

FACT: Television may not take place only in the event of a sudden lack of Internet access, loss of coverage or damage to the tool (telephone or computer). If, for personal reasons, the patient is not able to use the telepathic advice, he / she should inform the telemedicine clinic or a selected specialist about it. The doctor should also notify the patient of his absence.

MYTH: Telemedicine is not regulated by law

FACT: Telemedicine is a legally regulated system of health services provided remotely. E-prescriptions, e-referrals and e-exemptions issued by a doctor are accepted by the National Health Fund.

In addition, the Website of the Republic of Poland includes guides for patients and doctors on the rules of using telepaths. However, the patient should remember to use the services of proven telemedicine clinics.

MYTH: During a TV visit, the doctor cannot issue the patient with an e-prescription

FACT: During the TV visit, the doctor MAY issue the patient with an e-prescription for drugs such as RP, RPV and prescription drugs. The patient will receive an e-prescription code via SMS and e-mail. With the code, go to the pharmacy to get a prescription.

1. How does issuing an e-prescription look like during a TV visit?

MYTH: The patient will not receive an e-referral or e-release during the teleconsultation

FACT: The patient may receive an e-referral during the teleconsultation if the doctor has grounds for issuing it. The same applies to e-leave – a specialist may issue an electronic document confirming the patient’s inability to work (e.g. in the case of a diagnosed flu or a cold).

1. What referral can you get during a TV visit?

MYTH: All telemedicine visits are paid

FACT: Some telemedicine services are paid, but if the platform has a contract with the National Health Fund, some visits will be free. This mainly applies to e-consultations with a family doctor. Currently, it is possible to change the health care clinic to a medical platform, where there is a special form. The whole procedure consists of four simple steps: filling in the form, downloading the application, filling in the data and the possibility of a chat with a GP.

1. Free teleportation of a family doctor at the National Health Fund. Check how it works

MYTH: Giving a PESEL number to a doctor can be dangerous

FACT: At the beginning of the teleconsultation, the doctor will ask the patient for the PESEL number, because he wants to verify his identity and make sure that he is talking to the right person. If we choose a safe facility that provides telemedicine services, we do not have to worry about our personal data. As in the case of traditional treatment, an e-consultation specialist is covered by medical confidentiality. He cannot reveal the data of the patients.

MYTH: Patient data is transferred to other service companies

FACT: Personal patient data is not shared with other service companies. Thanks to the personal data, the doctor can verify who he is talking to. The data will also be needed to issue an e-prescription, e-certificate or e-referral. In addition, the doctor keeps medical records, which may be needed if the patient wants to make another appointment.

Who can become a telemedicine patient? Basically every Pole, regardless of age, sex and place of residence. Telemedicine is an online service where the patient enters the clinic’s website, can choose the disease, the doctor’s specialization and the time of the TV visit, and after its approval, he gets a link to a virtual office, i.e. a high-quality video chat, where he can consult a doctor and then receive an e-Prescription or sick leave if the doctor deems it necessary – comments Rafał Piszczek, haloDoctor.pl website

Find out more:

1. Telemedicine – what is an e-visit?
2. How has telemedicine developed in Poland?
3. E-prescription during coronavirus. How does it work and how to use it?

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