#63 - Is Telemedicine Appropriate For Your Concussion Patient?

The first step in any telemedicine workflow is determining whether your patient is appropriate for telemedicine services or not. Here are some questions to ask when determining if telemedicine is appropriate for your concussion patient:

1. Is their clinical and cognitive status suitable? 
   • For example, a patient experiencing significant confusion would not be appropriate. 
2. Is there someone else who needs to be present during the telemedicine appointment?
   • For example, some patients may require a parent or guardian to be present. 
3. Is there a language barrier or are they hearing impaired? 
   • These can be addressed by having a translator join the telemedicine visit, but are important to determine beforehand. 
4. Do they have appropriate technology?
   • This can include a webcam, laptop, internet connectivity, and anything else needed for you to carry out your evaluation. 
5. Do they have a quiet place, free from distractions that they can be during the visit? 
6. Are they willing to do a pre-appointment walkthrough to ensure they’ve met the guidelines?

These questions should be asked and addressed during initial intake and if a patient fails to meet the minimum requirements to be appropriate for a telemedicine visit, alternatives should be found for their care. 

Learn more in this webinar replay: Leveraging Telemedicine for Concussion Care.