Pub. 3 2019 Issue 2

By Jesse Spencer, M.D. Embracing Telemedicine I proudly wear the label of “general- ist.” I’ve always been proud of our ability as family physicians to adapt on the go, continually adding tools to our generalist kit to improve the health of our patients. As a specialty, we are the best-suited physicians to know and implement changes that are meaningful for patients, providers and the health care system. One of the emerging fields that we must embrace, and a tool that is increasingly discussed regarding the changing landscape of health care, is telemedicine. Let’s make some room on our toolbelt and learn to use it effectively. As with any tool, it needs an able operator, and family physi- cians are well-situated to take the lead on implementation and innova- tion in this space. There are many ways to define telemedicine, but it can loosely be described as digitally communicating with our patients. When used proper- ly, it has the potential to be an all-win strategy. Patients win by improving access, physicians win by feeling in- creased support, and the system wins with potential health care savings. Again, telemedicine is not the holy grail of medicine but rather a tool that can help reach the quadruple aim. Working in rural Utah, I have seen the benefits of telemedicine and use the resources frequently. I recently had the chance to meet with one of my patients who was diagnosed with cancer in the past year. Because of telemedicine tech- nologies, he has been able to receive the majority of his oncology care locally, including consults and chemotherapy. We were able to have an honest and transparent conversation about how telemedicine felt to him. He spoke highly of his experience and quipped that he could “joke with the doc just like I would if I were in the room.” I believe him when he tells me that the experience was just as genuine as a face-to-face experi- ence. Despite a terribly inconvenient diagnosis, the treatment was made as convenient as possible. Hours of travel while feeling washed-up and tired were instead spent with family at home. Patients will tell you that it is the family and friends who get one through this type of experience, and we should be advocates for that as much as possible. Making medical care more convenient is a huge win for patients. As much as I love being a generalist and accepting challenges of primary www.UtahAFP.org | 36