Telehealth Visits
Telehealth Visits with
Des Reid, PA-C
Desiree Reid now offers telehealth visits for certain appointment types. With these online appointments, you can receive convenient comprehensive care and connection with your clinician without having to travel or leave your home.
Also known as “telemedicine” or “virtual care,” this service is much like a FaceTime or Skype call with your clinician in place of an in-person visit. It requires you to have a good Wi-Fi connection and the use of a camera on your device. A cell phone, tablet, or personal computer may be used as long as it is capable of video calls. This service eliminates your need to come into the office, take time off work, find a babysitter, or wait in our office to see a clinician.
You can schedule an appointment just like you would an in-office visit. You will then be sent a link via text or email which will allow you to access a two-way video call with Desiree at the time of the appointment. These visits will be billed to you and your insurance like an in-office visit and any copays/deductibles will still apply.
Ready to schedule your first telehealth visit? Request an appointment through your patient portal or contact the Gem Family Medicine at (208) 369-4340.
What types of appointments can be done with a video call?
Not every type of appointment will be appropriate for a telehealth visit. Any patient who would like to inquire about a telehealth visit is encouraged to contact our office to inquire and schedule. Examples of appointment reasons that can easily be accommodated through a telehealth visit include:
- Medication follow-up and management
- Mental health evaluations and problems
- Weight Loss
- Birth Control
- Headaches
- Paperwork
- Discussing lab reults
- Medicare Annual Wellness Visits without additional acute illness or concerns
- Establishing Care without additional acute illness or concerns
If you would like to make a telehealth appointment with Desiree but are unsure if it would be appropriate, feel free to call or message the clinic through your patient portal.
Telehealth Visits are not a substitute for the emergency room. If your condition is severe or life-threatening, call 911 or seek emergency medical attention.
What to expect during my telehealth visit?
Once you have a telehealth visit scheduled, you will be given an appointment date and start-time along with a link for the two-way video call. Please check if your device is capable of video calls before your start-time, and make any necessary adjustments to your lighting, microphone, and audio. At the time of your appointment, the clinician will join as soon as possible after the start time (at busy times there may be a short wait.) A staff member may also get on the video call or call you on the phone to help you check-in prior to meeting with Desiree. The live video feed will start once you are both on the call. Please stay on the page before and during the visit, and do not navigate away or close your browser. If you need additional healthcare assistance beyond the scope of the original appointment, you may be asked to schedule an additional/follow-up telehealth or in-person appointment.
Is my device capable of a video visit?
We recommend you check your device to see if it is ready for your telehealth visit by clicking on this link and following the steps to ensure that your microphone, camera and audio is working correctly: https://telehealth.px.athena.io/device-check/
Please make sure that you click “Allow” if your device is asking to access your camera and microphone. If you believe your camera or microphone is not working properly, please contact us in advance of your appointment time to reschedule or ask for help.