Moves in Medicine: The benefits of telemedicine

In this lockdown world we are living in right now, healthcare has seen a massive shift in how it practices. We meet one couple who is able to get highly specialized care while living in two different states.

Ted and Vickey Newell spilt their time living in West Chester and Montana, something that would normally have been impossible due to Ted's ongoing health struggles.

"I have pulmonary hypertension, arterial, arterial hypertension and I have to be on oxygen almost all the time," he said.

The 78-year-old is able to manage his health virtually using Temple Health's telemedicine program.

"This is like instant. I mean, you can do this in a matter of minutes or hours if you needed to have a special visit with a doctor," he said,

"We can lay eyes on them and ask them questions on how they're feeling and make clinical decisions that will continue to help them maintain good health, even though they can't get into the doctor's office on a regular basis," said David Marshall, heart transplant coordinator.

"She could look at his neck have him turn and look at his neck and see the pressure, see what's happening and they upped his medication, and he was back you know and everything was good," Vickey said,

For Ted that has meant getting his life back. Before, he could barely walk to get the mail, now he's building things at the house and doing his karate.

Doctors also said this is a way for primary care physicians to stay up to date with their patients.

"They know that they could be part of the management team, so we're co-managing the patient so it's really wonderful," said Dr. Eman Hamad, Director of the Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Program.

Temple Health said just because you are not physically in front of the doctor the quality level of care is the same.