Written in April 2020 by an orthopedic surgeon whose practice moved to virtual visits on Buzz in the first weeks of the pandemic.
The global COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the healthcare system. It is with science, technology and communication that we will ultimately conquer this virus. Telemedicine and virtual communication technologies are stepping into the spotlight, helping providers coordinate care and respond to their patients’ needs while reducing direct contact to slow transmission.
The pandemic has dramatically changed the way we practice clinical medicine. As a busy orthopedic surgeon, my team and I routinely see hundreds of patients each week. To keep our patients and communities safe, we made a rapid transition from office visits to virtual telemedicine. It was critically important for our practice to maintain continuity of care while strictly following social distancing guidelines.
Virtual communication platforms like Buzz, with its integrated video conferencing, made this possible. Our patients were thrilled. Buzz let them see their doctor virtually, discuss their care and form a treatment plan. The technology has kept our practice engaged with our patients and let us maintain the personal communication they deserve and expect.
Beyond video, Buzz lets us share images, X-rays and MRIs with the patient. Often during a telemedicine visit I will share my screen, pull up the patient’s MRI and point out specific findings. The technology replicates much of what we would do in the office. I can also share other multimedia files, including arthroscopy photos from surgery, and our post-operative patients definitely appreciate seeing those images.
Beyond patient engagement, clear communication within the healthcare team is of the utmost importance. Coordination between team members must be reliable and simple. With secure texting, physicians, nurses, therapists and others involved in a patient’s care can communicate efficiently in Buzz’s intuitive, HIPAA-secure app. The platform has helped many facilities make communication around the patient more efficient.
These are unprecedented times. We are fortunate to have robust telemedicine technology like Buzz to engage our patients while keeping them safely at home. Continuity of care is what our patients deserve, and Buzz lets us deliver it and more. With the reliability, quality and convenience our patients have experienced, I believe telemedicine is here to stay. It is an essential healthcare tool as we fight through this pandemic and beyond.