What is telemedicine? Have you had a telehealth visit with your doctor? I recently had a telehealth video call with my physician. I spent 20 minutes telling him how well I was, and that everything felt ok. Guess what? After 20 minutes, he said great, I said thank you, and he billed Medicare for the visit. I am not a doctor and I am not qualified to examine myself, yet that is what the doctor seemed to rely on.
If this is what medicine is coming to then we are all in trouble. Most individuals are not trained to provide an accurate triage report to their doctor. Telehealth visits should not be done on an iPhone, iPad or laptop, which are not FDA or HIPAA approved. Any one of these devices can be hacked and your personal information jeopardized. Yet, because of COVID and a loosening of restrictions this is the way many medical professionals are currently conducting telehealth visits.
The American Medical Association (AMA) and the Palm Beach County Medical Society are asking Congress to support telehealth. We at American Telemedicine also are in favor of telehealth visits with one exception. We believe all telehealth visits should be made with accurate information, via FDA and HIPAA approved devices.
The Link+ by Live Care and distributed through American Telemedicine is such a device. The Link+ can provide your doctor with an up-to-the-minute report of your vitals, such as blood pressure, SP02 (oxygen level), and heart rate. In addition, the Link+ also can connect with a scale, thermometer, EKG monitor and a glucometer to check your blood sugar level. Your doctor has an up-to-the-minute report that he can view to decide if you need to come in to see him or prescribe different medication. Now compare the differences with iPhone, laptop or computer telehealth visits, where you and the doctor are limited to a friendly conversation. With the Link+, the physician knows up-to-the-minute reports of your vitals. Now which telehealth visit would you prefer? Of course, the answer is the Link+.
In today’s environment every household should have the Link+. It is a complete wellness system with daily monitoring and a 24/7 call center with the push of a button. I previously had a “fall and I can’t get up” system. As a senior male living alone, I wanted something that I could rely on in case of an emergency. My system went off accidentally when I was not home and EMTs were dispatched. The result – a broken door and a large repair bill for me.
Guess what? I am now a Link+ client and have never felt more secure about my health and well-being. My doctor can monitor my vital signs daily if he wishes. I also know my vitals daily and if I think I have an emergency, I just press the red button to connect with the 24/7 call center and receive immediate help. Leaving the house, I can carry the Link+ with me, which also has a GPS and fall detection. In addition, my family member can check my vitals and call me on the Link+.
Let me leave you with this thought. You would not get into a boat without a life preserver. The Link+ is your 24/7 life preserver. It is a must have for every household.
