Primary Care Telemedicine Services

You can see your primary care doctor via telehealth for many of the same reasons you'd see them in person.

You can use a video visit to start a relationship with a new PCP. It's also a great way to follow up with your doctor after treatment or a hospital stay.

Scheduling a video visit for your routine or recurring care has never been easier.

About Primary Care Telemedicine at UPMC

UPMC wants to make sure all people have access to care.

For those living in rural areas or far away from their PCP, telehealth offers convenience. It also helps connect elderly people or others who have problems traveling with the care they need.

Here are just a few of the things your PCP can do using telemedicine:

• Take your medical history.
• Look at suspicious rashes, sores, swollen areas, etc.
• Diagnose some conditions.
• Prescribe any medicine you may need.
• Order a COVID-19 test.
• Review lab results for chronic conditions, such as diabetes or congestive heart failure.
• Screen for depression, anxiety, or other mental health issues.
• Do a follow-up appointment.
• Review your medications with you.

Benefits of Primary Care Telemedicine Services

Telehealth is convenient and easy to use.

Some of the biggest benefits include:

• Quality care without leaving home. You don't have to drive and worry about traffic or road conditions. All you have to do is log in.
• Schedule around your day. Need to see the doctor on your lunch hour? Trying to navigate multiple schedules for kids and don't want to worry about childcare? Telehealth allows you to choose from available appointments online with some providers that work with your schedule.
• More personal care. If you'd like, your doctor can look at your basket of medications or help you assess the healthiness of the food in your fridge. They may even be able to spot fall hazards in your home. Telehealth offers a different level of care that benefits both you and your doctor.

Who Can Use Telemedicine for Primary Care?

Many people can connect with their UPMC PCP via telehealth. If you're a new patient, you can search for a primary care doctor who offers video visits.

Video visits are an ideal way for people with chronic conditions to stay connected with their doctor.

If you've previously received treatment for the condition, you likely already have the right home monitoring equipment (e.g., a blood pressure cuff). You can share the data from your device with your doctor through telemedicine.

Have an elderly parent who struggles a bit with technology? Their PCP can arrange to do the video visit when you're there with them to support the visit.

To connect, you need:

• A smartphone or a tablet or computer with a webcam and internet connection.
• Your free UPMC patient portal app. If you're a new user, this guide will help you choose the right patient portal.

What to Expect During Your Video Visit

A video visit is much like an office visit.

Once you log in and make sure you both can see and hear each other, you'll talk about the issue that brings you "in."

Your doctor may:

• Ask you to weigh yourself (let them know if you don't have a scale).
• Ask for vital signs, if you have the right equipment at home.
• Ask you to aim the screen in a certain way, so they can see a rash or other problem.
• Direct you to feel an area that's swollen or hurts, and ask you questions about what it feels like.
• Ask you to move in a certain way (such as try to touch your toes) to assess your range of motion.

Primary care telemedicine offers many advantages to help you stay on top of your health, much like in-person office visits.

Learn More About Primary Care at UPMC

• Find a Primary Care Provider and Book a Video Visit.
• Learn More About Primary Care at UPMC.