In just a few weeks, North Country has trained all its providers in telemedicine, tripling the existing number of those who previously were able to work with patients remotely. Abbott has been practicing telemedicine through North Country, seeing patients in areas such as Kingman, Bullhead City and Lake Havasu City. In the past few weeks, he said the number of patients using telemedicine has spiked exponentially. Unlike previous North Country video appointments, which streamed from clinic to clinic, doctors can now stream directly to patients’ homes, a change Abbott said not only allows doctors to see more patients during the pandemic, but also opens up new connections with patients. Though, in many cases, remote visits can be more challenging for doctors, Abbott said the more patient-directed exams necessary through telemedicine can be empowering for patients, such as when they learn how to take their pulse for the first time.

Source: Daily Sun April 10, 2020 14:03 UTC