Telehealth has exploded onto the virtual landscape in 2020, transforming the possibilities of healthcare and expanding access to meet the changing needs of patients.
Simply put, telehealth provides healthcare services remotely through electronic communications. By removing the limitations of in-person appointments, telehealth visits are allowing more people to seek expert care from virtually anywhere. From primary care and specialist consultations to medication review visits and support groups, telehealth puts healthcare at your fingertips via a smartphone, tablet, or laptop.
Among the many possibilities of telehealth, hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is one of the most exciting. Hormone imbalance is a common, but highly personal condition that many of us experience at some point in our lives—HRT is considered by many practitioners to be one of the best ways to address it. So exactly what is telehealth HRT?
Understanding the Benefits of Telehealth
Much like the days when health care practitioners made house calls, telehealth allows you to access medical care from the comfort of your own home. As its popularity grows, patients are finding that telehealth can not only replace in-office visits, but actually expands their healthcare options. Meanwhile, researchers are discovering that telehealth may improve patient outcomes.
These benefits of telehealth include:
- Increasing access. The ability to access specialists online through telehealth visits removes geographic barriers that might limit your care to local providers. This means you can now choose from some of the best practitioners in the field.
- Improving convenience. One of the primary advantages of telehealth visits is convenience. Video conferencing allows you to easily discuss your concerns at a time and place that works for you, whether you’re at home or on the road. This can improve patient engagement and adherence to treatment plans.
- Protecting privacy. All audio and video communications are secured to maintain privacy and protect your data. Practitioners are expected to apply HIPAA-compliant practices to ensure fidelity to the federal law that safeguards your health data.
- Decreasing your time commitment. Telehealth visits eliminate travel time to and from appointments and reduce time waiting for practitioners. Also, practitioners can now offer visits outside of traditional office hours.
- Maximizing efficiency. Depending on the platform used by your practitioner, you may receive appointment confirmations and reminder notifications via email or text. Additionally, payment or co-pay may be collected through the same platform. Handling these details electronically increases efficiency and convenience for both patients and practitioners.
The benefits of telehealth can often greatly improve the quality of patient experiences. However, it’s important to make sure that your practitioner has all the resources necessary in order to set you up for a successful telehealth practice.
What Does Telehealth HRT Look Like?
Hormonal health can affect some of the most intimate aspects of your body and your life. As such, being able to access care from a location of your choosing via a secure platform and knowing that your privacy is protected can be a great comfort.
When dealing with an issue as complex as hormonal health, a practitioner who has completed the Academy of Anti-Aging Medicine Fellowship in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine will be well-positioned to provide you with specialized care. However, such specialists are not available in all communities. Fortunately, telehealth can bring these highly trained experts directly to you.
Another benefit is the ease of diagnostic testing. Once your practitioner has taken a thorough medical history through your telehealth visit, they can send out all the supplies you need to conveniently collect specimens at home. Commonly used tests involve collecting urine, saliva, or blood spots, which can then be dropped in the mail for return to a specialized laboratory.
With the insight gained from your consultation and lab results, your practitioner can design a personalized treatment plan. There is no need to visit the clinic or go to the pharmacy. Your HRT will be sent directly to your door in discreet packaging to ensure privacy. Once you start treatment, you can connect to your practitioner regularly to track your progress and fine-tune your treatment to strive for optimal results.
Is Telehealth HRT Right for You?
Telehealth HRT can offer a patient-centered approach that increases access and may improve outcomes, helping you on the path to achieve your health goals. By creating programs that promote ease and accessibility, hormone health practitioners specializing in this innovative option can expand the possibilities of HRT and try to give you the support you need. Once you experience the convenience of telehealth HRT, chances are you may not want to return to the clinic.
If you are interested in telehealth HRT, BodyLogicMD can help. The practitioners in the BodyLogicMD network are leading experts in hormonal health and combine clinical expertise with state-of-the-art telehealth practice to try and give you the best possible care. Set up your telehealth consultation, or take the BodyLogicMD Hormone Balance Quiz to learn more about how hormones may be affecting your everyday life.
Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. All content on this website is for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent diseases.
