Page 32 - ARUBA TODAY

A32 FEATURE
Friday 1 June 2018
Skyping the doctor? Poll shows it's not just for the young

By LAURAN NEERGAARD Cortland, New York, who
EMILY SWANSON helps his 92-year-old father
Associated Press and 89-year-old mother
WASHINGTON (AP) — Every get to their appointments.
morning, 92-year-old Sid- But, "we don't know much
ney Kramer wraps a blood more about it other than
pressure cuff around his the fact you can talk to a
arm and steps on a scale, doctor over the computer
and readings of his heart or smartphone."
health beam to a team of Just 12 percent of adults
nurses — and to his daugh- say they wouldn't use any
ter's smartphone — miles form of telemedicine.
from his Maryland home. There are concerns. More
Red flags? A nurse imme- than 30 percent of people
diately calls, a form of tele- worry about privacy or the
medicine that is helping security or health informa-
Kramer live independently tion. About half fear that
by keeping his congestive telemedicine could lead to
heart failure under tight lower-quality care, the poll
control. found.
"It's reassuring both psycho- "It's not about having a
logically and physically. video screen or Skype in
The way he's put it to me, the home or even a blood
it's like having a doctor ap- In this May 29, 2018, photo, Sidney Kramer, 92, uses a remote medical monitoring system to pressure cuff in the home.
pointment every morning," check his vital signs at his home in Bethesda, Md. Associated Press It's about the team that's
said Miriam Dubin, Kramer's behind it and the clini-
daughter. ing ground with tech-savvy video visits to diagnose visit via Skype or FaceTime cians who are supporting
The vast majority of older younger consumers — they stroke symptoms or check to discuss medications, for the care of that patient,"
Americans and their care- text their physician with on home dialysis patients. ongoing care of a chronic said Rachel DeSantis, chief
givers are ready to give questions or Skype with a Also, Medicare Advantage illness or even for an urgent of staff at Johns Hopkins
virtual health care a try: mild complaint. For seniors programs used by a third of health concern. Home Care Group, which
Nearly 9 in 10 adults ages with chronic illnesses or mo- beneficiaries can start of- In fact, adults 40 and older provides the 92-year-old
40 and over would be bility problems that make fering additional telehealth are just as open to at least Kramer's remote monitor-
comfortable using at least simply reaching a doctor's options. some forms of telemedicine ing.
one type of telemedicine office an ordeal, telehealth "While the interest is huge, as those under 40, with one The Hopkins program pro-
for themselves or an aging could be more than a one of the big barriers re- exception: The older crowd vides no-cost monitoring
loved one, says a new poll convenience. The graying mains reimbursement," is slightly less comfortable for a month or two to se-
from The Associated Press- population is raising serious said Johns Hopkins Univer- discussing health care by lect high-risk patients after
NORC Center for Public Af- questions about how the sity telemedicine chief Dr. text. a hospitalization because
fairs Research. nation will provide enough Ingrid Zimmer-Galler, who Among caregivers, 87 research found it reduces
But they want to make sure quality long-term care. has turned to grants to percent say they'd be in- their chances of readmis-
that an e-visit or other re- But while private insurance help fund such services as terested in using at least sion.
mote care is just as good as increasingly covers certain telepsychiatry for demen- one form of telemedicine When the monitor record-
they'd get in person, and services such as a video tia patients. The new law for that person's medical ed Kramer's weight creep-
that their health informa- visit, seniors have had a "is really a huge step in the needs. ing up one week, nurses
tion stays private, accord- harder time because Medi- right direction. It certainly "I think the parents would immediately knew it was
ing to the survey released care tightly restricts what it doesn't cover everything." be happier at home in- fluid build-up, a heart fail-
Thursday. will pay for. Costs are a major issue for stead of being in the doc- ure symptom that needed
Long considered an op- That's starting to change, people who need ongo- tor's office waiting an hour quick treatment. The ma-
tion mainly for improving with a law Congress ing living assistance. Less to see a doctor for 15 min- chine is programmed for
access to health care in passed last winter that ex- than a third of adults age utes," said Don Withey of some educational feed-
rural areas with few doc- pands Medicare cover- 40 and over have set aside back, too.q
tors, telemedicine is gain- age for such options as any money for their future
long term care needs, the
AP-NORC survey shows,
and more than half mistak-
enly think they'll be able to
rely on Medicare to help
cover nursing care or home
health aides.
Telemedicine will have to
replace in-person care, not
add to it, to help with those
costs, cautioned Zimmer-
Galler.
As access for seniors prom-
ises to grow, the AP-NORC
Center poll shows wide-
spread interest in tele- In this May 29, 2018, photo, Sidney Kramer, 92, points to his
In this May 29, 2018, photo, Sidney Kramer, 92, checks his health. More than half of notebook he uses to help him keep track of vital signs after
weight while using a remote medical monitoring system to adults of all ages would be using a remote medical monitoring system at his home in
check his vital signs at his home in Bethesda, Md. Bethesda, Md.
Associated Press comfortable with a video Associated Press