Managing Chronic Conditions Through Telehealth

About 60% of adults in the United States have a chronic disease, a long-term illness that requires ongoing medical interventions or causes symptoms that affect how you live your life.

Regular visits with your doctor support chronic disease management, monitoring symptoms, providing education, and modifying your plan as needed. Despite the importance of regular medical care, it may be challenging for you to attend regular appointments, whether from time constraints, lack of transportation, or a disability that makes traveling difficult.

Our team at Pro-Health Urgent Care of Midland understands the difficulties many people face managing their chronic condition. We offer telehealth services to provide care that doesn’t require an in-person visit to the office. 

Here, we explain how managing chronic conditions through telehealth benefits you, your health, and your relationship with your doctor.

About telehealth

Telehealth is remote health care. It’s more than seeing your doctor over your computer. It includes the use of electronic information and telecommunication technology to support and deliver health care services. 

In short, telehealth gives you access to a variety of medical services without having to visit a doctor’s office. It includes:

• Telemedicine: virtual visits
• Electronic records
• Communication by phone, text, or email
• Electronic prescriptions
• Remote patient monitoring devices
• Access to educational materials and videos

Remote medical care offers many benefits, saving you time and money. It also makes health care services more accessible to people who lack transportation, have a disability that affects mobility, or live too far away. 

Telehealth for chronic conditions

Chronic health conditions affect a patient’s physical, emotional, and social well-being. Management usually includes medication and lifestyle modifications. Some people may need additional support, such as therapy or specialists to manage their health and disease.

No matter the issue, these illnesses can mean a lot of doctor’s visits. If you don’t have the ability to see all of your doctors, you may be tempted to skip appointments, making it harder for you to manage your health. 

But with advances in telecommunication and medical technology, you don’t have to skip your regular visits. You can get the medical care you need by video or phone call. During a telehealth visit, you and your health care provider discuss your chronic condition, symptoms, and treatments. 

They may ask for data, such as your at-home blood pressure readings or blood glucose test results. They also ask about your daily routine, nutrition, activity, and sleep, as well as obstacles you face when managing your condition.

Your provider helps you make adjustments to your plan in a way that benefits your health and fits your daily life, helping you stay on top of your health. You get the support, guidance, and education you need so you can confidently manage your disease. 

It also gives your provider an opportunity to see your home environment so they can create a more personalized plan that works better for you. The more involved you are in managing your own health, the better health outcomes you get.  

Is telehealth for you?

Telehealth offers many advantages to a lot of people. It saves time, money, and stress of figuring out how to get to the doctor’s office. 

Not everyone feels comfortable using telehealth for medical care, and that’s OK. But you may like the convenience of electronic prescriptions to your pharmacy, eliminating the drop off and waiting, and getting text message reminders of your upcoming appointments.

And sometimes we need to see you at the office for a physical exam or to administer a test that can provide a better assessment of your health. 

Using telehealth for chronic conditions means fewer trips to the doctor’s office, more support for your condition, and better health outcomes for you. At Pro-Health Urgent Care of Midland, we offer telehealth services for urgent care, illnesses, injuries, and exacerbation of your chronic disease symptoms. 

If you need help managing your chronic condition and can’t get to the doctor’s office, schedule a telehealth appointment by calling our office in Midland, Michigan, or booking online today.