Virtual care is the distribution of health-related services and information through an online platform. It can be delivered through a variety of platforms, including telehealth, apps, video based-interfaces, emails, etc. To practice virtual care in several provinces, one can do this from their home or office. All that is required is a phone or video. To communicate with your patient, you will need their phone number or email address (to send them a virtual call URL link). 

 

Tip #1: If using a phone, it is best to block your caller ID, in order to maintain a professional physician-patient relationship.

Virtual care has multiple purposes. Some things it can be used for include, but are not limited to:

• Screening patients

• Gathering patient history

• Assessing symptoms, severity and treatment options

• Monitoring progress and checking in on patients

• Communicating with multiple individuals at once, including family members and/or caregivers

• Connecting with colleagues to share information and seek additional clinical input/advice, team conference calls, specialists outside of local region

There’s lot of different virtual care platforms available to be used! Some have been specifically built for the purpose of providing virtual visits, while others are simpler all-purpose platforms.

 

When deciding which platform is right for you, consider your long-term plan. If you expect to see patients virtually even after the pandemic, it is probably best to put some time aside in thinking about a platform that will work best for your practice, taking into consideration the platform’s functionality, security and privacy, workflow, pricing, and user interface.