Yeah, it's funny. If I were sitting in front of a computer, and my MA told me so and so was on the line, and I could either do a phone call or a video chat, both immediately, I would choose the latter. The problem is I am seeing patients (the fewer face to face the better), and my staff will simply put the patient in the schedule. We have added another column for telemedicine patients. The staff will start the chart as always and send it to me. So, when I see a chart on a patient that is not in a room or I see a patient in the telemedine column, I know I have to have a telehealth visit.
It is SOOOOO easy to call one when I have five or ten minutes here or there. No particular order. And, when it is convenient for me. The video chat can take a little longer.
But, at the same time, I want to do SOME video chats and to be honest, less because they are better, but I just feel better and feel less likely to be audited (not that they are supposed to do that), if I have a 4 to 1 ratio of video chats. While audio only is accepted it does say in the law that it is OK when there are reasons why video can't be done. Now, I can make a case that there are so many that video is a time constraint. And, that patients can't do it.
I also think that the current law is set for 90 days, and they will then re-evaluate. My feeling is that we HAVE to make those 90 days count, especially since we don't know when we could be out 14 days. I must say I would rather get it and be out the 7+ days, and know that I won't be quarantined again. It would be hard to be a "close contact" of a known positive person, be out, then come back and be a contact again.
With the lax unemployment laws, if it gets really slow, one could lay off an employee who would likely be happy. But, given the fact that I have to rake in the bucks during these three months (March 6th to June 6th), AND I am on the "front lines" I don't feel too guilty talking to a patient about conjunctivitis and charging a 99213 for an over the phone visit. It is still doing what the CDC and the government want, which is keeping the parent and the child at home so they don't infect someone or get infected, so a 99213 isn't a huge price to pay.
