Telemedicine with Community Foot Clinic of McPherson
At Community Foot Clinic of McPherson, providing you and your family with safe, accessible, and effective care has always been our top priority. That has never changed, and it isn’t going to.
In an age of increased fears about COVID-19 exposure, our commitment to serving your needs while protecting your health is more important than ever. One of the most important ways we are responding to the emerging needs of our patients is by offering telemedicine services.
Many foot and ankle problems simply can’t wait until the end of “stay at home” for expert evaluation and treatment recommendations. Telemedicine ensures you get the care you need, right from the comfort and safety of home.
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What Is Telemedicine? How Can It Help Me?
Telemedicine is when your doctor uses video conferencing technology to provide you necessary clinical services, even when you aren’t in the same physical location as one another.
We know—many patients are skeptical at first, especially if they’ve never considered telemedicine before. But the truth is that it is a great option for many kinds of appointments. During a virtual appointment, we can:
- Visually inspect your feet and ankles and talk with you about your symptoms, activities, etc. to arrive at a potential diagnosis.
- Follow up with you after a previous procedure or diagnostic test to review results and ensure everything is going smoothly.
- Help you determine the next steps forward, including which home care approaches might be effective, and whether you truly need further in-office care.
If your appointment does not necessarily require an in-person procedure or diagnostic test, we strongly encourage you to consider telemedicine—especially if you or someone you live with is considered high risk for complications related to COVID-19.
And if you aren’t sure whether telemedicine is right for you, there’s no need to fret about it. Just call us and ask! We will talk you through it to determine which option is best for your current needs.
What Do I Need for Telemedicine?
A significant majority of our patients have everything they need for telemedicine already with them at home, or can borrow it from a close family member. You will need:
- A device that can make video calls. If you or someone in your household has a smartphone or tablet, those are usually the best choices. A laptop or desktop computer with a camera and microphone will also work nicely.
- A web browser supported by our Doxy.me telemedicine service (Chrome, Firefox, or Safari) on that device. Almost all smartphones and computers come with at least one of these pre-installed.
- A stable, reliable wireless or wired internet connection.
Although it isn’t required, we also encourage you to invite a trusted member of your household to sit in with you on the call, if possible. An extra person in the room can help with notetaking, working the camera, and other support tasks.
What Can I Expect on the Day of My Appointment?
As mentioned above, we are using a service called Doxy.me to facilitate our telemedicine appointments.
We like this system because it’s one of the simplest and most patient-friendly telemedicine platforms available. You won’t have to sign up for anything, remember any passwords, download special software, or follow a long set of instructions. The HIPAA-compliant secure video feed will play right in your browser.
Once we have your appointment scheduled, we’ll email or text you a link with the room code. Just click that when it’s time for your appointment, type in your name, and click “check in” to enter our virtual waiting room.
Once you are checked in and Dr. Timson is ready for you, we will begin the appointment!
Is Telemedicine Covered by Insurance?
While telemedicine services have been increasingly covered by insurance companies at parity with in-office appointments—including Medicare—the answer depends on your specific provider and plan. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your provider.
What If I Still Need to Make an In-Person Visit?
Certainly, some services will still require an in-person visit. Specific treatments and procedures such as injections, ingrown toenail removals, or wound care obviously cannot be performed remotely.
If you have an urgent or emergency need, we’ll probably have you come straight to the office for an in-person appointment. It’s also possible that our telemedicine appointment will result in a future follow-up at our office.
Rest assured that we take the health and safety of our patients extremely seriously and are doing everything we can to keep our office as safe as possible—in many cases going beyond what the CDC is recommending.
For more information about our in-office appointment procedures and policies during the COVID-19 outbreak, please review the information on this page or call our office directly.
Request Your Telemedicine Appointment Today!
If you’re ready to request your telemedicine appointment with Dr. Timson, please complete the form on this page.
A member of our office will follow up with you during our regular office hours to schedule your appointment, make sure you have everything you need, and answer any questions you may have.
If you’d prefer, you can also reach out to us directly by phone at (620) 241-3313.
We look forward to serving you—wherever you happen to be!
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