Florida physicians fear telephonic health care will disappear with COVID-19

Telephonic health -- which is essentially a doctor's appointment via phone call -- has helped thousands of Floridians during the pandemic.

But patients and doctors are now concerned the option will disappear as soon as the virus does.

YOUR CELLPHONETHOUSANDS OF FLORIDANS DURINGTHE PANDEMIC.

BUT, AS STATECAPITOL REPORTER FORRESTSAUNDERS SHOWS YOU ..

SOMEPATIENTS AND DOCTORS ARECONCERNED THE OPTION WILLDISAPPEAR AS SOON AS THE VIRUSDOES.<< NATHANAEL PRADA LIVES WITHSEVERE ANXIETY.

FEARS OFCOVID-19 WORSENING HISCONDITION.

(NATHANAEL PRADA,TELEPHONIC PATIENT)“THETHOUGHT OF GOING INTO A CLINICFULL OF INDIVIDUALS WHO MIGHTBE SICK, THATPOSSIBILITY IN MY MIND”(PRADA :14) A SAVING GRACE&TELEPHONIC HEALTH, HELPINGPRADA GET CARE WITHOUT RISKINGINFECTION.“WITHOUT TELEPHONICSERVICES, I WOULD PROBABLY GOWITHOU” (PRADA COVER HALF :26) THE SERVICE IS ESSENTIALLYA PHONE CALL INSTEAD OF A INPERSON DOCTOR VISIT&PREVIOUSLY UNAVAILABLE DUE TOPRIVACY CONCERNS.

FLORIDAFORGOING THOSE CONCERNSTHROUGH A STATE ORDER AS VIRUSCASES SPIKED IN MARCH.“I GIVETHE TIME IDOCTORIT AND I RECEIVE A PHONE CALLAT THE SET TIME.

ITOTHER VISIT” (PRADA 15:02)THE CHANGE IS ONLY TEMPORARY&ITBUT DURING THESE LAST FEWMONTHS ITTELEPHONIC HEALTH TO THOUSANDSOF FLORIDANS LIKE PRADA.

MANYOF THEM LOW INCOME, UNABLE TOAFFORD THE COST OF DATA PLANSNEEDED FOR VIDEO-RELIANTTELEHEALTH.

(DR. JOHNNEWCOMER, THRIVING MIND SOUTHFLORIDA)“IF THE OPTION IS NOCONTACT AT ALL VS.

MAINTAININGAN AUDIO ONLY TELEHEALTHCOMMUNICATION WITH YOURPROVIDER4:12) SOUTH FLORIDA PHYSICIANJOHN NEWCOMER IS TRYING TOMAKE THE CHANGE PERMANENT.

HESAYS TELEPHONIC HEALTH HASBEEN A GAME CHANGER FOR MENTALHEALTH SERVICES, SPECIFICALLY.THE FLORIDA ASSOCIATION OFMANAGING ENTITIES SAYS IT SAWA 300% SURGE IN TELEPHONIC USEACROSS ITS 300 PROVIDERSOF PATIENTS CHOOSING IT INAPRIL ALONE.“DURING THIPANDEMIC WE WERE ABLE TOMAINTAIN ABOUT 98% OF OURSERVICE VOLUME” (DR 2:15) TOKEEP TELEPHONIC CARE, NEWCOMERWILL LIKELY NEED LAWMAKER ANDHEALTH AGENCY SUPPORTSWAY CRITICS WHO ARGUELIMITING DOCTOR/ PATIENTINTERACTIONS TO JUST PHONECALLS WILL SERIOUSLYCOMPROMISE CARE QUALITY.“THERE ARE SOME GREATCONVERSATIONS TAKING PLACE ATTHE STATE AND FEDERAL LEVEL TOCONSIDER WAYS TO MAINTAIN THISFLEXIBILITY.

(DR 7:44) DOINGSO COULD ENSURE PATIENTS DONFALL INTO THE CRACKS.

EXACTLYWHAT PRADA SAYS WOULD HAVEHAPPENED TO HIM IF NOT FOR THETELEPHONIC OPTION.“I WOULDNHAVE GONE.

SIMPLE AS THAT.

IJUST WOULD HAVE MADE THEDECISION TO TOUGH IT OUT, ASWE ALWAYS SAY” (PRADA 17:19)FS, WPTV NC 5.