TOLEDO, Ohio — Maintaining regular checkups or doctor appointments have been challenging for many health care providers, but they are still getting it done.
Doctors with Mercy Health said they are seeing success with their virtual visit program and felt it is an important part of maintaining care while practicing social distancing
"It is important to maintain social distancing, important to flatten the curve, so we can contribute as health care providers and as a system to decreasing the spread of this infection and flattening the curve," said Dr. Ateeq Haseeb, Mercy Health Chief Medical Information Officer.
The virtual visits have not only limited the amount of people inside the hospital, but have also allowed doctors and nurses to conserve personal protective equipment.
Doctors have been able to speak with nurses in hospitals and advise care through video conferencing, keeping additional people out of care facilities. Patients who have used the virtual system say it's easy to work. Olivia Dacre had her son use the system for his visit.
"So this was a new diagnosis for him, maybe about a month or six weeks ago, and so this was really a follow up to that visit. When we got started with the video visit, it was a matter of just point and click," said Dacre.
Many health care providers are beginning to prepare to receive patients personally within the next month.