For patients who have never tried using virtual care services at Sanford Health, there can be a lot of misconceptions.
Whether it be level of care, insurance coverage or technology concerns, some myths persist in the minds of new patients. Lyndsey Mager, clinic director at Sanford’s acute care clinics in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, answered some of our most common questions and debunks those myths.
Myth: Virtual care provides a lower level of care than in-person visits
One of the most common misconceptions is that virtual care is somehow less effective than an in-person appointment.
“The same providers that work in acute care are the ones that are doing the on-demand virtual visits,” Mager said. “They rotate through and they’re going to treat your condition the same, whether it’s an in-person visit or a virtual visit. They’re looking at the patient’s history and their symptoms and determining what’s the best course of action for them.
“There are times where the virtual visit isn’t the most appropriate option, but the provider will walk you through that during that visit and tell you the reasons why.”
Mager also noted that virtual visits don’t just provide the same level of care as an in-person visit. They can also save hours of driving time for rural health care patients and are a great option for patients who don’t have reliable transportation.
“It gives them another alternative to be able to seek care,” Mager said.
Myth: My virtual care doctor can’t diagnose me or order tests
Once again, Mager notes that virtual care providers are the same health care professionals you would see at an in-person visit, which means they can diagnose patients and order tests as needed.
“There are clinical guidelines for virtual visits,” Mager said. “Virtual care providers can diagnose many conditions and order certain diagnostic tests through the virtual platform. Some conditions, however, require an in-person visit for a more thorough examination. The testing that can be done includes strep, flu, COVID, RSV, urine, complete blood count and basic metabolic panel.”
“That’s because we want you to be safe as the patient. If we don’t feel like we can treat you safely through the virtual platform, we’re going to tell you to go in and be seen in person.”
Once a lab test is ordered, patients can do that testing any time at their most convenient Sanford location.
“Go to a Sanford lab closest to you,” Mager said. “We’re a big enterprise system and we have partnerships with all of the Sanford clinics and hospitals throughout our footprint. You can walk-in to any of those, so even if your provider might be located in Sioux Falls and you live in Fargo, you should be able to go to Fargo to have those labs done and not come all the way to Sioux Falls.”
Myth: I can’t get a prescription from a virtual care visit
Prescriptions can absolutely be filled during a virtual care visit. Health care providers have full access to your health records just as they would at an in-person visit.
“Your existing health conditions, current medications and allergies are reviewed along with your current symptoms to determine whether a prescription is appropriate for your care,” Mager said. “Providers follow evidence-based research to determine whether medication is appropriate and, if so, which treatment options are best for your condition.”
Myth: I can’t speak with a provider on video, only via message
There are actually two ways for patients to use virtual care. One involves video, while the other can be done via messaging.
- A video visit is a real-time, face-to-face visit with a provider conducted electronically through My Sanford Chart or sanfordhealth.org. Those sites are secure and ensure sensitive health information is not shared with any third parties.
- An e-visit is a message-only encounter through My Sanford Chart. You will not see the provider, but you and the provider are able to communicate securely through written messages.
Mager notes that most appointments go off without a hitch, but the Sanford team is prepared for the occasional technical problem.
“Our providers have been doing this for about 10 years now,” Mager said. “They’re good at helping patients troubleshoot.
“You can do it all from your smartphone though. The camera options work on there. The audio options work. It’s come a long way from where it was 10 years ago when we needed people to have webcams to be able to connect the right way.”
Myth: My insurance won’t cover virtual care
This is dependent on each individual patient’s health plan. Patients are encouraged to check their personal plans before seeking service. However many plans, including Sanford Health Plan, reimburse patients after their visits.
“A video visit is offered at a flat fee of $69, and an e-visit is offered at a flat fee of $39,” Mager said. “We do bill through your insurance plan, just like we would for those lab tests.”
Patients also have the option to pay these flat fees out-of-pocket regardless of insurance coverage.
Myth: Only adults 18+ can be seen for virtual care
Anyone can be seen using virtual care. This includes minors as young as two months old. It only depends on the level of care needed.
“We use our guidelines to tell what visits are available for what age categories, but probably the most common one we see is pink eye. With the e-visit, they’re able to type in some symptoms, take a picture of the infected eye, upload that to the provider and then they can review it to determine if it’s pink eye. They can treat it pretty easily from there. It’s a quick visit, and you don’t have to drag your kids into the clinic for those kinds of things.”
Myths busted: Closing thoughts on virtual care
Mager said most people who try virtual care prefer it for future visits. She also said the number of people who use virtual care has risen dramatically the past few years.
“It flipped during COVID for sure. Prior to COVID, I would say we maybe got four or five e-visits a day. Now we average about 60 to 70 a day,” Mager said. “In flu season that number goes up even more. People like this option in cold and flu season because they don’t have to sit in a waiting room full of sick people. I think that changed a lot of things for virtual care in general.”
For more information on virtual care, or to schedule an appointment, visit sanfordhealth.org/find-care/virtual-care.
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Posted In Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Rural Health, Virtual Care
