Patients can now get a digital dose of telemedicine in Glendale
In this photo taken Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2013, Dr. Alan Shatzel, medical director of the Mercy Telehealth Network, is displayed on the monitor RP-VITA robot at Mercy San Juan Hospital in Carmichael, Calif. Telemedicine is a game changer, said Dr. Manuel Momjian, owner of Urgent 9 Urgent Care in Glendale, but it can’t always substitute an in-person visit.
An image of a skin rash may be all it takes to get a diagnosis and the necessary prescription for treatment at a local urgent-care clinic.
By logging into a Web portal, a new video conference tool called Virtual Visits lets patients talk to doctors without ever having to leave their home.
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“We can basically make a diagnosis on the appearance of the rash,” said Dr. Manuel Momjian, owner of Urgent 9 Urgent Care in Glendale. “Then we can prescribe medication, send it to a pharmacy and [patients] can get all the advice they need without ever stepping into an office.”
The technology, dubbed telemedicine, can be used to address other problems a patient may be experiencing, and a lot has to do with how much a physician can dig up through the conversation, he said.
“As long as the doctor is comfortable enough and has enough experience to get a good history, that’s how telemedicine is going to work in the future,” Momjian said. “It’s asking all the right questions.”
Once logging into the Web portal through Urgent 9’s website, a patient will be taken to a virtual waiting room before getting a chance to speak with a physician, he said.
Telemedicine is a game changer, Momjian said, but it can’t always substitute an in-person visit.
While some issues can be addressed over a video call, a doctor can’t physically check blood pressure, temperature or other vital signs, he said.
Those who need more than a quick prescription will be asked to come into the clinic, Momjian said.
In addition, the service is not something typically covered by insurance.
Momjian said the Web appointments take up as much time as a regular in-person visit, so he doesn’t think telemedicine will mean he will be able to see more patients throughout the day.
At the end of the day, the name of the game is convenience, he said.
“Who really wants to go to an urgent clinic waiting room or an emergency room waiting room?” Momjian said.
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Arin Mikailian, arin.mikailian@latimes.com
Twitter: @ArinMikailian
