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Tips for Seeing Patients via Telemedicine

  • Telemedicine and Technology (J Portnoy and M Hernandez , Section Editors)
  • Published:
Current Allergy and Asthma Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

Telemedicine is a technology that permits patients to be seen at a distance. This review describes different types of telemedicine, why they might be useful for a practice, what equipment is needed, and how to select and schedule patients.

Recent Findings

The use of synchronous telemedicine is increasing rapidly and has surpassed 50% of ambulatory encounters in some instances. Management of patients is particularly germane for an allergy practice since it is an outpatient specialty with patients who live in widely distributed locations with limited access to allergists. With utilization of digital exam equipment, in vitro tests for diagnosis, and spirometry at the patient location, there are few clear advantages of seeing patients in-person over virtual visits.

Summary

Telemedicine is here today. As its use increases, it is critical that allergy specialists embrace this new technology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Jennifer Shih

  2. Children’s Mercy, 2401 Gillham Road, Kansas City, MO, 64108, USA

    Jay Portnoy

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  1. Jennifer Shih
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  2. Jay Portnoy
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Correspondence to Jay Portnoy.

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The authors declare no conflicts of interest relevant to this manuscript.

Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Additional information

This article is part of the Topical Collection on Telemedicine and Technology

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Shih, J., Portnoy, J. Tips for Seeing Patients via Telemedicine. Curr Allergy Asthma Rep 18, 50 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-018-0807-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11882-018-0807-5

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