How to get the care you need during a virtual doctor visit

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(Neha Pathak/ WebMD) — For many of us, our doctor’s appointments are being modified to “virtual visits,” whether that’s a video visit via webcam or a conversation on the phone. This might make sense to those of us who are a little nervous about going into a health care setting right now due to concern about exposure to COVID-19.

I know this is the case from my own experience. I’m in my 3rd trimester and recently had a fall in my driveway. I’m not sure how I landed, but my 6-year-old is pretty sure I was belly down at some point. Along with the fears of injuring my baby, I was immediately concerned about having to go in to be evaluated. I lay in bed for hours, counting kicks, timing contractions, monitoring for bleeding and asking myself over and over again questions like: Should I call my doctor? Would they tell me to come in to be evaluated? Would I be burdening the health care system? Would I put myself at risk for getting sick from COVID-19? Or would they try to manage this over the phone?

Many of us are asking ourselves these questions when we are injured or feeling sick. It can be frustrating even if you aren’t sick, especially if you have been waiting for months for a face-to-face appointment with your doctor.

But remember, the difficult decision to conduct some appointments virtually is being made to slow down the spread of COVID-19, protect patients from exposure to sick patients in the clinic or hospital, and to preserve the crucial supply of personal protective equipment that healthcare providers so desperately need right now. (…)

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