This is a good idea. We actually pick up the phone right away during business hours but after hours I will change the recording to educate about telemedicine.
Thanks Serene. Coming from you that means a lot. Maybe I am milking the system, but we try to convert messages to TM. If you think about it, it's safer than my CMA handling it herself or sending me a message in a busy day. They are getting a reply back and it is an actual one on one with the doctor who handles it right there. MaineCare's whole idea here is to keep the patients at home, so they don't question the visits as long as it is well-documented. Private insurance is a little harder, because even though they are mandated by our governor to both cover and cover at full reimbursement, and copays and deductibles are waived, an occasional EOB and bill gets through. We have to let everyone know it is a paid visit that should be covered.
@jimmie We haven't noticed a huge uptick in calls. Of course, this all happened so quickly, it has been difficult to get the audex the same. Plus, one nurse quit, and the other nurse is working from home. My biller is working from home. I could, but I feel much more efficient in the office. I see newborns and one-months, but two-months can wait until 4 months. I believe Pertussis and pneumovax are the only vaccines that matter. Don't see much Hep B, diphtheria or tetanus in our area. But, if they got pneumococcal meningitis or Menigococcemia, that would be bad.
I was taking hydroxychloroquine as it had passed all the clinical trials that Trump did. And, Zithro. Then I got nervous about prolonged QT and it was making me rather tired. If it is efficacious,it seems that prophylacticly it would be helpful. Of course, treatment makes sense. Remdenisver seems promising.
For the past four years I have taken Tamiflu daily for four months. So far, so good. Unfortunately, I think it has no efficacy.
MaineCare is unblievably help here. They are taking off a lot of restrictions on huge groups of meds like any asthma med, DME, etc. I can't list it all.
I am not doing testing as I consider every positive an exposure no matter how well I gown and glove and N95. I strongly feel that drive through testing is the way to go. Those who are doing it are trained and have volunteered to do so. They do have the right equipment. Their masks are fitted. Some of the Abbott tests are rapid turnaround. We have to beg to get testing kits. There are great reasons to test, but I just don't see the benefit being worth the risk. I don't mind saying that. I have done 10,000 strep tests and 5,000 RSV and Influenza tests and never been infected wearing nothing. Just not going to get Coronavirus after my third test. As stated earlier, I was coughed on six times and sneezed on three times by a 17 year old with symptoms who had returned from Florida recently by airline. I didn't sleep until her test came back, and there are false negatives.
