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Is it safe to go to the doctor? Here's what health experts say
One challenge emerging during the Covid-19 pandemic has been how exactly to handle your own health care or doctor appointments — even just routine check-ups. Should you go to your doctor’s office or will a telehealth appointment work? And what if it’s urgent, or even an emergency? Closed offices and concerns about safety led many people to put off appointments, but what about now? And how long can they wait? We asked health experts to help guide how and when to handle your family’s health care needs and appointments.
Editor's note: Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
1
How are you handling routine medical care for yourself and your family during the pandemic? Is your own attitude toward seeking health care changing as cases in your area rise or fall?
Dr. Susan Bailey
Bailey is an allergist and immunologist and president of the American Medical Association. She is based in Forth Worth, Texas.
My husband and I have been doing a combination of in-person and telemedicine visits. I went to my primary care physician for my annual physical and lab work, and he has done several telemedicine checkups. I postponed my annual screening mammogram for a couple of months because the facility was closed, but I scheduled it as soon as I could because I have a family history of breast cancer, and I take it very seriously. The challenge overall is determining what can be postponed without potential long-term consequence. I felt very comfortable going to see my longtime personal physician — the part that made me nervous was riding in an elevator with someone I didn’t know.
2
What advice would you give to people who are deciding whether to continue with appointments such as physicals, dental care, eye exams, colonoscopies, gynecological exams or physical therapy? How can people evaluate what might be able to wait and what absolutely can’t?
Dr. Susan Bailey
Bailey is an allergist and immunologist and president of the American Medical Association. She is based in Forth Worth, Texas.
People should absolutely speak with their physician before making decisions about forgoing care. Not only have physicians taken painstaking steps to ensure their practices are safe, but there are also telehealth options and other ways to speak with your physician. Vaccines should not wait, and certain screenings are critical. You do not want to end up in a position where you or a loved one is in the hospital because you opted against routine care.
3
What should those who have chronic or longer-term conditions think about regarding how they can best handle repeated trips to doctors’ offices or to get medications?
Dr. Susan Bailey
Bailey is an allergist and immunologist and president of the American Medical Association. She is based in Forth Worth, Texas.
Management of chronic conditions is critical. If you have concerns about visiting your physician’s office, let her or him know. Many physicians are taking precautions to limit the number of patients in their office at any time, initiating protocols like temperature checks, and increasing the use of telehealth. Physicians’ offices are remarkably safe.
4
How should parents and caregivers handle children’s health care, whether regular check-ups, appointments for specific issues or vaccinations?
Dr. Susan Bailey
Bailey is an allergist and immunologist and president of the American Medical Association. She is based in Forth Worth, Texas.
As an allergist/immunologist, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of vaccines generally, and staying up to date on vaccines, specifically. Once again, talk to your pediatrician about your child’s care. Ask what is necessary and what can be postponed. Ask what may be doable via telemedicine. But whatever you do, stay up to date on your child’s vaccines.
5
What precautions should people take when going to a medical office? What about a hospital? What differences might patients notice if they haven’t been in a while?
Dr. Susan Bailey
Bailey is an allergist and immunologist and president of the American Medical Association. She is based in Forth Worth, Texas.
Whether you’re going to a store or restaurant or physician’s office, the precautions are simple and identical — wear a mask, practice physical distancing, and wash your hands or use hand sanitizer regularly. You may see receptionists behind plexiglass or physicians and nurses in much more PPE — gowns, masks and gloves — then you regularly would. These steps are taken to protect you, their patient, as well as themselves and their families.
6
What about medical emergencies, or symptoms that might indicate a serious problem? If someone lives in an area where Covid-19 cases are rising, what should they do or consider?
Dr. Susan Bailey
Bailey is an allergist and immunologist and president of the American Medical Association. She is based in Forth Worth, Texas.
If you or a loved one is suffering a medical emergency, call 9-1-1. Even in a pandemic, a heart attack is a heart attack and a stroke is a stroke. In an emergency, minutes — and sometimes seconds — can be the difference between life and death.
7
What are the concerns and challenges with elective or non-urgent surgeries right now? What conversations should people be having with both their families and doctors?
Dr. Susan Bailey
Bailey is an allergist and immunologist and president of the American Medical Association. She is based in Forth Worth, Texas.
In some locations where Covid-19 is rampant and hospitals need to make sure they have space to take care of everyone, elective procedures are not allowed. However, the definition of “elective” is open to interpretation. I would not consider a biopsy to rule out cancer as “elective.” Don’t assume that the procedure you are considering can’t be done soon — I encourage everyone to discuss this with their doctors. Ask if the procedure will be done in the office or in a freestanding surgery center, and what precautions they are taking to keep you and their personnel safe. Think of how your recovery might be affected if someone in your family became ill with Covid-19. Make extra sure you have everything you need during your postoperative period — food, hydration, medications, for example — to minimize having to get out or having someone else come in.
8
Telehealth has expanded rapidly during Covid-19. When do you think it’s working well for patients and when does it fall short? Is there anything patients can do to improve the care they receive through telehealth?
Dr. Susan Bailey
Bailey is an allergist and immunologist and president of the American Medical Association. She is based in Forth Worth, Texas.
Telemedicine has been a figurative and literal lifesaver during the pandemic. It works well when a physical exam is not a crucial part of the encounter. I can learn a lot about a patient’s health by seeing their general appearance, their demeanor, and their mood. I can hear if they’re coughing, sneezing or wheezing. I can even do a very cursory skin examination.
Patients can do a lot to make telemedicine visits more productive. First, many telemedicine apps allow pre-tests to make sure the camera and microphone are working; PLEASE do this even if you think there won’t be a problem. Have a list of your medications (or better yet, the medications themselves) with you, and take your temperature and blood pressure/heart rate before you sign on. Write your questions down — new technology makes us all anxious and it’s easy to forget things when you’re anxious.
9
Even once the coronavirus is under control, what non-Covid health effects might last for a while? What should people do during the pandemic to avoid consequences later on due to delays in care or other quarantine health habits?
Dr. Susan Bailey
Bailey is an allergist and immunologist and president of the American Medical Association. She is based in Forth Worth, Texas.
There are very real concerns about mental health. People have lost loved ones without the chance to say goodbye, and therefore no chance to properly grieve. People have lost jobs and routines, been pulled in numerous directions, and been isolated from friends and family. Mental health is a critical component of health, and hopefully people treat it accordingly. People should also watch their diet and strive to be as active as possible.
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