1) Purpose. During the recommended social distancing and our staff is our priority. The purpose of virtual visits is to enable patients to get medical care by specialists without traveling to the clinic during the COVIDpandemicWe are converting all appropriate visits to a virtual dermatology appointment or rescheduling all nonurgent visits until after April 2020, per the pandemic, your safety and that of Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) guidelines.
2) Nature of VirtualDermatology Visits: During the virtual dermatology visit
- We will use a HIPAA compliant platform for our visit
- Details of you and/or your child’s medical history, prior tests and examinations will be discussed, as well as a current history and plan through the use of interactive audio and video technology.
- Physical examination of you or your child will be visual, where feasible
- Digital photos may be taken to enter into your chart during the virtual dermatology visit, but we will not record video or audio with our HIPPA compliant system.
3) Medical Information and Records. All existing laws regarding your access to medical information and copies of your medical records apply to this virtual dermatology visit
4) Confidentiality. Reasonable and appropriate efforts have been made to eliminate any confidentiality risks associated with the virtual dermatology visit. All existing confidentiality protections under federal and Minnesota State law apply to information disclosed during this telemedicine consultation.
5) Risks and Consequences. The virtual dermatology visit will be similar to a routine medical office visit, except interactive video technology will allow you to communicate with a physician at a distance. At first, you may find it difficult or uncomfortable to communicate using video. The use of video technology to deliver healthcare and educational services is a new technology and may not be equivalent to direct patient to physician contact. Following the virtual dermatology visit, your physician may recommend a visit be scheduled in the future for further evaluation, for a procedure, or follow up. If you feel that a virtual dermatology visit will not allow a provider to effectively see or diagnose your condition, please let us know and we will reschedule your appointment at our clinic as soon as possible.
6) You may withhold or withdraw consent to the virtual dermatology visit(i.e. end the appointment)at any time without affecting your right of future care or treatment or risking the loss or withdrawal of any program benefits to which you would otherwise be entitled. You have the option to consult with the specialist in person if you travel to his or her location once the COVID19 emergency has passed
7) Financial Agreement. Billing for virtual dermatology visits will be similar to the regular office visit fee. Because things are changing rapidly with the 2020 COVID19 pandemic, insurances are updating their reimbursement plans regarding virtual medical visits daily. If you elect to go through insurance, we will submit claims to them on your behalf but do not guarantee coverage or payment. Similar to during regular office visits, if you have a deductible you will likely receive a bill for your visit. If your insurance company does currently participate with virtual medical appointments if you do not participate with medical insurance, or if you have a high deductible and would prefer to pay out of pocket, we ask that you pay a $150 cash fee for your visit, which will be charged to your credit card at the initiation of your virtual visit, and within one week we will provide you with a claim form that you may submit to your insurance company for possible reimbursement should their guidelines change. In the event this visit is not covered by your insurance, the fee incurred will be owed by the patient/patient’s responsible party.