Virtual Doctor Visits Becoming More Prevalent Amid Coronavirus Outbreak
WHITEHALL (KDKA) -- Seeing your doctor is now a whole new experience.
For instance, you may not come to the office at all.
"In the past, it has been come on into the office, let's see and examine you. But that's changing," says Dr. Antonio Riccelli, an internal medicine primary care doctor at St. Clair Hospital.
It depends on your age, if you have any chronic conditions and the urgency of your issue.
Checkups are on hold. If you need refills, you may be asked to use telemedicine instead.
"Versus a person who may be having abdominal pain or complain of worsening shortness of breath, but without any associated symptoms of infection, or a patient with congestive heart failure. That patient we may need to examine in the office," Riccelli says.
Doctors have stopped certain procedures and services, such as breathing tests and breathing treatments because of the risk of respiratory droplets.
And the patient calls to get coronavirus testing are overwhelming.
"We don't have that capability here," Riccelli says.
He recommended using an outpatient testing site offered by area hospitals.
If you just show up looking for a test, saying you have a fever and recent travel to a place with the coronavirus, you'll be asked to not come into the office.
Stay at home, and watch your symptoms and call if anything worsens.
