While in-person visits will almost certainly still be a major part of the U.S. healthcare system, many doctors are encouraging their patients to continue to use telehealth after the pandemic, as a way to complement their treatment plans. “There’s no doubt that telemed visits can be a great tool for both patients and physicians,” says Robert Battat, MD, an IBD specialist and assistant attending physician at Weill Cornell Medicine, in New York City. This is especially true for people with ulcerative colitis, who may be taking immune-system-suppressing medications and need to see their GI doctor as often as every three weeks during a flare. Here are five things to know about telehealth if you have ulcerative colitis.
1. You can get access to better healthcare.
About 1 in 4 people who live in rural parts of the U.S. say lack of access to good doctors and hospitals in the community is a major problem, according to a survey published in May 2018 by the Pew Research Center. (By comparison, only 18 percent of people living in urban areas and 9 percent in suburban areas said the same.) “Major urban centers have a disproportionate amount of specialists who subspecialize in specific diseases, such as UC, compared to rural areas,” says Dr. Battat. “We have patients who live many hours away, who were previously commuting in to see us. Telemedicine gives them access to some of the best healthcare without having to drive six hours. It’s a huge advantage for these patients.” By opting for a telemedicine visit, people with IBD can avoid a trip to the doctor’s office, where they might be exposed to illness-causing germs. “If you don’t have to expose yourself [to germs], then don’t,” says Dr. Chachu.
3. You might be able to communicate with your doctor more often.
Doctors are sometimes too busy to jump on a phone call with their patients right away. With telemedicine, people can ask their healthcare providers questions about medications, symptoms, and upcoming visits — not to mention go over important lab and test results — via patient portals anytime. “I always want patients to know what’s going on,” says Chachu. “When we do routine labs or colonoscopies, for example, I make sure to send those to patients with a little message that says, ‘Your labs are normal,’ or whatever it may be. … I always want my patients to feel like they’re part of the decision-making process, and telemedicine allows that.” This is a particularly good thing for people with ulcerative colitis. According to a study published in September 2017 in the journal The Lancet, people with IBD who used patient portals to monitor their symptoms had fewer outpatient visits and hospital admissions than those who didn’t use telemedicine. Battat also uses patient portals to share healthcare records and test results with new patients before their appointment. “It really helps the doctor know his or her patient much better when there’s a back-and-forth,” he says.
4. You can use telemedicine to build a strong(er) patient-doctor rapport.
Don’t underestimate the importance of a good relationship with your doctor. When patients have good communication with their doctors, they’re especially likely to stick with their treatments and be more satisfied with their care, according to a review published in 2010 in The Ochsner Journal. If the communication between patient and doctor is poor, the patient can feel disheartened and may be less likely to stick with their treatment plan. Both Battat and Chachu agree that combining in-person visits with telemedicine visits and the use of patient portals usually allows the doctor and patient to communicate with each other more effectively. “It’s great to have access to both [virtual and in-person appointments], as they each provide different options for patients,” says Battat.
5. You may still need to see a doctor in person.
While doctors can diagnose and treat many conditions via telemedicine, people with ulcerative colitis may occasionally need to go into the office. “If there’s something that seems new or bigger, or if a patient has a lot of abdominal pain that’s different or more severe, it’s best to schedule an in-person visit with your GI doctor,” says Chachu. “If there’s a perianal issue, which is often the case with a UC patient,” she adds, “it’s difficult and also uncomfortable to try and get a camera on that area. It’s not only easier but also more effective at that point to see a physician in person.” Finally, Chachu says that telemedicine shouldn’t be your first choice in an emergency. “Think of patient portals and telemedicine as something with business hours,” she says. “A healthcare provider [usually] won’t return your messages until the next business day, so if it’s a true emergency, go to the emergency room.”
