From an interview with
Dr. Guy McClary
Medical Plaza Family Medicine

Medical practices that are part of McLeod Physician Associates are now offering a way to “see” your physician or provider without leaving your house or sitting in a waiting room.

Most of the McLeod Physician Associate offices are offering Televisits, not only in primary care but also in some specialties and subspecialties. In its simplest form, Televisits are a video visit with your doctor very similar to FaceTime, Skype or Zoom meetings. Your Personal Health Information is secure, because the Televisit is set up through the medical practice’s patient portal.

Patient portals are secure platforms that are set up through your physician’s office, using the McLeod Health IT network. Patients can access to their own medical record through these patient portals. It’s probably the most convenient way to connect with a healthcare provider, their office or your medical team. Through the portal a patient can send text messages to the provider directly, view their own lab results, read clinic notes, request prescription refills or download documents from the electronic medical record.

Televisits are another convenience of the portal, ideal for a person needing a prescription refill or wanting an appointment or a follow-up but is concerned about coming into the office during this pandemic.

About 30 minutes before the appointment, the patient will receive a text message with a hyperlink. With your smartphone set up for the portal, just click the link to access the video camera and the microphone. The provider clicks on the link on their end and the visit begins.

During this period of social distancing and anxiety about being out in public, Televisits fill a critical need enabling us to continue caring for patients. Certainly in a nontraditional way, but certainly in a very innovative way. The Televisits will continue to be available as we move past COVID-19.

To get started, you’ll need your email address and phone number. You may need to input some other information if the medical practice office hasn’t already collected and entered it.

Once most people get on the patient portal, they use it much more than if they had to make an actual phone call to the office with phone trees, potential wait time, and transfers to get the appropriate person.

Learn more about Televisits.

Find a McLeod Primary Care Physician near you.