General Guidelines:
Physicians :
Given the constraints of remote visits, physicians are inherently
limited in the amount of information that can be conveyed to them
through video or audio. Obtaining patient history and understanding
subjective patient complaints should remain ascertainable following a
comprehensive and detailed conversation between the two parties.
Physical exam findings, however, are understandably more difficult to
obtain in a remote visit. Physicians may often have patients perform
rudimentary aspects of a physician exam on themselves and describe their
observations in detail to the physician. Given the lack of expertise
among the majority of patients, physicians should promptly convey their
expectations for the visit and possible tasks they might have patients
perform. Distribution of the graphic handouts prior to the virtual visit
can allow patients to adequately prepare for the visits. This ensures
that the visit is as fruitful as possible and that time is not spent
having the physician explain a task without context during a visit.
Recommendations and expectations for patients are further discussed
below (see Figure 1).