I note some of you via the Q&A session are having problems seeing your MS team or getting hold of them via email or telephone. The reason for this may be because they are off ill or self-isolating or they have been redeployed. I am aware that most MS Centres have moved to remote telemedicine clinics, mainly using a phone.
I discovered that the platform that NHSX (formerly NHS Digital) has been pushing AccuRx Fleming for video consultations. It is particularly common for GPs to use this platform. I set it up for myself in literally 5 minutes yesterday and will be doing as many of my remote clinics via the platform, which runs in a web browser or if you want you can use the App.
The following YouTube video shows you how quick and easy it is to get going.
You may want to nudge your NHS team to use this platform if you prefer a face-2-face consultation. The platform is fully NHS compliant and is the one that is used by most NHS GPs.
CoI: I work for the NHS
In USA Medicare is allowing telemedicine visits in response to mandatory stay at home orders because of Covid19 . I had one last week with my sleep clinic. So easy. I had to consent, They had the download from my APAP machine. We reviewed my issues. All done. The issue came up in discussions with others. Will patients have to consent? Can patients refuse to be filmed? Would anything recorded ever be used in some other way besides medical evaluation? How is Privacy assured? I thought it was great. No travel. No waiting room. If I had a camera recording me, what if I looked a mess, or police wanted to see it, or somebody not in my healthcare team uses it? Food for thought.
Bartshealth NHS Trust uses “nhsanywhere” platform. I’ve used it before but you need a fixed time for the appointment, just like the classic outpatient clinic.
Good enough but not flexible for these days.
You can use accuRx as well. It is very flexible and is as simple as sending a text to the patient. Barts Health is signed up to accuRx.
All you need is the NHS number and the DoB of the patient and the patient has to have logged a mobile phone number to receive an SMS. The good thing is if you use your own mobile phone to do the consultation the patient doesn’t get access to your personal details, which happens with platforms such as WhatsApp.
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I think perhaps that tele-everything has finally come of age. A few weeks ago zoom was a cool tool, now everything is on zoom. Kids school, work meetings, kids birthday parties, family meetups everything.
I have just completed my first telemedicine clinic using accuRx; a very impressive web app. Intuitive, easy to use and works with just the NHS number and DoB. Next is using the 4 person chat function, to host group clinics and/or to bring in remote HCPs to the consult.
I’ve not have much luck with Telemedicine, the HCP hasn’t phoned for the two appointment times made. I gave it over 40 minutes either side of the appointment time, for them to call me if they are running late.
DNC (stands for ‘did not call’). Now I’m starting to prefer face to face appointments due to this.