If you have had a video visit, you know that a good deal of routine care does not require a waiting room. You may also know the limits. A camera cannot listen to your lungs or feel your abdomen.

Telehealth works best with a doctor who already knows you, has your records and has examined you in person. In that setting, a short video call can do real work. Here is how we think about what fits and what does not.

What telehealth covers

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services describes telehealth as seeing your health care provider without going to their office, by video or phone, along with secure messaging and tools that let you share readings such as blood pressure. HHS also notes that telehealth may not be right for everyone or every condition.

For people with Medicare, the program covers certain telehealth services, and through December 31, 2027 those services can be received from anywhere in the U.S., including at home. For most telehealth services you pay the same amount you would in person. Coverage rules have changed several times in recent years, so it is worth checking the Medicare page or your plan before you rely on a specific benefit.

Visits that often work well by video

HHS lists a range of care that can be handled through telehealth, including reviewing lab or imaging results, checking on common problems like headaches or infections, looking at skin problems, managing medicines, and checking in after surgery. In a primary care practice, that tends to translate into:

  • Lab reviews: going over results line by line, with time for questions.
  • Medication check-ins: side effects, timing, refills and whether a dose change is worth discussing in person.
  • Blood pressure follow-up: reviewing your home readings together. Our high blood pressure page explains how we use them.
  • Rashes and small skin concerns: a clear photo or a well-lit camera often helps decide whether you need to come in.
  • After a hospital stay or procedure: a quick check on how you are recovering at home.
  • Family conversations: a relative in another city can join the call, with your permission.

When you need to be in the room

Some things simply require an exam or a test. A new problem with chest symptoms, shortness of breath, abdominal pain or a fall usually needs hands-on assessment. Blood work, an ECG and vaccines need you to be there in person.

At Legacy Medical, labs are drawn in the office, and we can run an ECG and rapid tests for flu, COVID and strep on site. A video visit that turns up something needing a closer look can lead to an office visit, often the same or next business day for members.

Video is never the right tool for an emergency. Symptoms such as crushing chest pain, sudden weakness on one side, trouble speaking or severe difficulty breathing call for 911, not a scheduled call.

Telehealth for seasonal residents and families

Many of our patients split the year between Palm Beach County and somewhere else. Video can help keep continuity across those months, for example by reviewing labs drawn elsewhere or adjusting a plan after a visit to another doctor. Our page for seasonal residents covers how we coordinate.

Doctors are licensed state by state, so before you leave Florida, ask whether a video visit is possible from where you will be staying. It is better to know in advance than to find out when you need it.

For adult children helping a parent, a video visit can be the easiest way to be part of the conversation. With written permission from the patient, the doctor can update family members directly.

Getting the most out of a video visit

  1. Find a quiet, well-lit spot, and test your camera and sound a few minutes early.
  2. Have your medicine bottles, or an up-to-date list, within reach.
  3. If you check your blood pressure, weight or blood sugar at home, write down recent readings with dates and times.
  4. Write your questions down beforehand, starting with the one that matters most.
  5. Keep a phone nearby in case the video connection drops.

HHS has a short guide to the basics of telehealth if you are new to video visits. Most people find the second call much easier than the first.

Afterward, it is worth writing down what was decided: any change to a medicine, the next lab date and when to follow up. A video visit moves quickly, and a short note keeps the plan clear for you and for anyone helping with your care.

If you would like to see how video visits fit into care at Legacy Medical, read about our telehealth visits or start with a complimentary meet and greet with Dr. Shtern at the office. The first meeting is in person, which is exactly where a good video relationship begins.

This article is general information, not advice for your situation. Members can call the office with questions about their own care.