Linda Williams, M.D., discusses how telehealth works for neurology patients, no matter the diagnosis.
Transcript:
The principal findings of this paper are, first of all, that teleneurology, meaning a video visit with a neurologist either in the comfort of your home or in a nearby general medical clinic, is highly acceptable across the full range of patients with different neurological diseases. That was something that we really didn’t know about. Most of the literature in teleneurology focuses on a particular disease. For example, the use of teleneurology in patients with Parkinson’s disease. But this was a sample of all comers at a general neurology-teleneurology practice in the Department of Veterans Affairs. And we found that the diagnosis was not a factor related to how highly satisfied they were or how accepting they were of teleneurology as their way of seeing their neurologist.
Dr. Williams talks about how teleneurology can make care more efficient and accessible for patients living in rural areas.
Transcript:
Our study is good news for neurologists. The biggest reason being is that there is a tremendous shortage of neurologists in the United States, and neurologists, like many specialties in medicine, tend to be at a higher density in urban areas and at a lower density in rural areas. And so, rural patients especially have great difficulty in getting a neurology appointment in a timely manner. Teleneurology is one way that care can be more efficient. So, I don’t think telehealth is going to take any care away from neurologists. I think it will bring neurologists access to populations of patients that they may have had difficulty reaching just because the patients are too far away and are not willing to make that long drive.
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