telemedicine

Dr. Rick Bedlack weighs in on telemedicine

Do you have difficulty getting to your doctor’s appointments? Ever thought about using telemedicine? Connecting online can make it easier to get the care you need. Here, Dr. Rick Bedlack (a tenured associate professor of Medicine/Neurology at Duke University and the director of the Duke ALS Clinic that’s partnering with PatientsLikeMe in the current Lunasin study) explains the basics of telemedicine, his “Tele-ALS” program and how telemedicine could improve patient clinical trial experiences in the future.

Telemedicine 101: How does it work?

“Telemedicine” connects patients and their doctors through secure video conferencing programs (similar to “FaceTime”). Both parties need to have a computer, tablet or smartphone, and a video conferencing program that has been approved for use by the doctor’s institution. I have been offering this type of care to patients with ALS for several years now, through separate “Tele-ALS” programs at the Durham VA Medical Center (VAMC) and Duke University.

The pros of telemedicine

  • No travel: The main benefit of Tele-ALS is that it allows patients with ALS who live in rural areas to continue to connect with their ALS specialist throughout their disease, even when travel becomes difficult or impossible.
  • Symptoms management: This connection facilitates expert identification and management of the many modifiable symptoms patients with ALS experience throughout their illness, such as drooling, thick secretions, excessive laughing and crying, cramps, spasticity, pain, insomnia, anxiety, depression, and constipation.
  • Tech troubleshooting: It also facilitates identification and triage of equipment problems such as malfunctions in speech generating devices or power wheelchairs.
  • Keeping patients in the know: I have personally found it to be very useful in keeping patients informed about exciting research and alternative options and in this manner helping them stay hopeful throughout their illness.
  • More accessible clinical trials: In the next year, I will pilot the first ever totally virtual ALS clinical trial. Instead of making “in person” study visits, this trial will conduct all required visits via Tele-ALS. This should make participation much simpler and more attractive for patients and families.

The cons

There are some down sides to Tele-ALS…

  • From a patient’s perspective, many have told me they miss coming in and meeting in person with all the members of my team. Not all patients have a computer, tablet or smartphone, or Internet access.
  • From my perspective, I miss not being able to perform a detailed neurological exam. Given this limitation, I would not offer Tele-ALS to a patient I had never seen before —only to those whom I have already examined and confirmed the diagnosis in person.
  • From an administrator’s perspective, there currently is no way to bill for a typical Tele-ALS visit. This is the main reason that more clinics are not offering it. We are only able to offer it at Duke because of a generous grant from the North Carolina Chapter of ALSA.
  • Finally, there is a silly rule that prevents us from crossing state lines with this care model. The VAMC has found a way around this rule and VA providers can now offer telemedicine, including Tele-ALS, “anywhere to anywhere.” Hopefully non-VA hospitals will figure out how to do this soon.
telemedicine
telemedicine

Going forward

As we work out some of the problems with billing and crossing state lines, I think telemedicine and especially Tele-ALS clinics are going to become much more common. If my upcoming virtual research study shows good compliance and adherence, Tele-ALS will be increasingly used in trials to minimize participant burdens as well.

For more information:

www.telehealth.va.gov

www.dukealsclinic.com/telemedicine

Have you tried telemedicine? Why or why not? Join PatientsLikeMe and share your experience with the community.

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3 thoughts on “Dr. Rick Bedlack weighs in on telemedicine”

  1. What a great resource for ALS patients and their caregivers. My mother found it so hard to make the 3hr trip to see her Neurologist. Keep up the good work.

  2. a great tool to add to in person office visits. Dr.Bedlack was a great Dr. to my husband.

  3. Cynthia Pruitt Gregg

    How exciting this sounds! Patients first! That’s what I love about Duke Clinic. Dr. Bedlack is so upbeat, personable, and caring. This is an awesome way to stay connected with you all. Thanks! Keep on keeping on!

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