In person or virtual doc appointment? Managing YOUR care

 As an ASer we have many friends, I mean doctors.  Some of them you NEED to see in person.  Others review blood tests or images and never actually need to touch your body. My insurance is amazing. It truly offers me great benefits.  However, when I see a specialist I a pay $50 per visit.  I've learned to manage my doctors as much as they manage my care.

I see a nephrologist due to reoccurring kidney stones.  Nephrologists, for me at this point, ONLY review blood work and a 24 hour urine test.  My appointment is spent with the doc looking at a computer screen.  I recently met an AMAZING new nephrologist who agreed that she can review my blood work and 24 hour urine test through the portal! Unless things go wonky, she is good with that! No need for a $50 copay. We of course agreed that if things change we may need to see each other in person.

Rheumatologists need to see the whites of your eyes, squish your fingers and examine your mobility.  That can not be done virtually or though portal messages. However, my doc and I have an amazing therapeutic rapport.  She will trust me to report when I'm in a flare.  We know that a steroid pack knocks it out. She allows me to have a steroid pack on hand and let her know if I needed to take it.  This is after years of us working together and her trusting that I know my body.  Saves me a trip into her office and another co-pay to tell me to go ahead and take the meds.  

As I mentioned- I have reoccurring kidney stones. Back in November I was having images for back pain and they saw another large kidney stone. I had a tele-health appointment with my Urologist.  We decided to leave it alone until the Spring.  The nurse politely followed up and asked me if I was ready to schedule my appointment with the Urologist. I said, "Why do I need an appointment? He's just going to order a KUB X-Ray?"  She agreed with me after reviewing the notes and sent me the order.   I just saved myself a $50 co-pay.  There is no need for me to have an appointment for him to tell me to get an X-ray. Depending on the results I may not even need an appointment for him to tell me we are going to surgery to get the darn stone.  If it happened to disappear, I for sure don't need an appointment for him to tell me it's gone.

In December I had another back surgery.  As pain free as I am, I do have to go in, let him take an X-Ray to check on my healing process.  Can't avoid that appointment. 

Moral of the story: Be an awesome, smart, savvy,  collaborative patient. With portal messages and lab results available electronically , manage your appointments.  My disclaimer: There are times you MUST see your doc in person! If a doc is just reviewing some tests, it could possibly be handled through messaging.

With a team as large as many. of have, it is important to take charge of your care!

My team includes: Primary care, Rheumatology, Opthamologist, Dry Eye Specialist, Endocronologist, Nephrologist, Urologist , Pain Management and an Orthopedic Surgeon.  That potentially is a LOT of $50 copays.