Telehealth revolutionized doctor’s visits. Could a hybrid model bring post-pandemic convenience and equity?
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More than a year into the pandemic, PublicSource spoke to medical experts and community advocates who see benefits in a hybrid approach to post-pandemic health care that includes telemedicine as an option. But they also pointed out disparities in access, privacy concerns and limitations in treatment that show how hard it can be to care for a patient through a screen.
Jen Waleski, a physician assistant at the Student Health Service Center at the University of Pittsburgh, sees many benefits in telemedicine but also feels a loss of personal connection and rapport with her patients. And losing the “laying on of hands” during an exam means she feels a need to be more vigilant in evaluating the student’s history.
Overall, she saw the transition to telemedicine as “pretty seamless” in an unprecedented time. Despite the challenges, telemedicine is an option that students seem to like.