Telehealth is Now Available at the University of Miami Hemophilia Treatment Center!
The HTC hopes that all of our patients and families are staying healthy during the restrictions imposed by the pandemic. While it is definitely frustrating and stressful to not see most, if not all, of our patients in clinic, the University of Miami Health System has streamlined a telehealth option which is currently in development for pediatric patients.
Telehealth or remote visits allow health care providers and patients to interact in real time, using computer access. We can see you; you can see us. We can have conversations, and “see” a problematic joint or bruise. We can ask questions and depending on the situation, figure out if you/your child has difficulty moving a joint or an extremity, which would result in more informed management.
Labs would need to be done at Quest Diagnostics or LabCorp—orders would be placed through the UChart app as usual.
Not every issue would require a telehealth visit, just as many issues have been managed through email and phone conversations in the past. You may certainly call the main office number—(305) 243-0834, and leave a message. You may certainly email any of the providers, as per the earlier email blast. If a televisit seems necessary, then you would go on and get that set up as per the instructions.
Call the scheduling line as you would ordinarily do, and request a telehealth visit with your provider.
Families must have access to any electronic device that has a build-in camera and microphone (laptop/desktop/tablet/iPhone) for a video visit.
In order to participate in a Telehealth visit, our families MUST have an active MyUHealthChart account to access the video visit link. You will be able to gain access to the MyUHealthChart portal at the time that you register for the televisit. At that time you will also have to “sign” a consent for a televisit, just as you have to sign a consent for treatment whenever you check-in for clinic visit. The scheduler will assist you with these preparatory tasks.
FYI for Pediatrics:
To grant parents access to the MyUHealthChart site–Per Registration, parents must provide their full name, date of birth/DOB and an email address they want associated with the pediatric patient’s account.
Before proceeding with scheduling, please be aware that your insurance may or may not cover the visit. Insurance coverage rules for TeleHealth visits are changing daily. If you proceed with the Telehealth visit, UM will bill your insurance accordingly. If telehealth is not covered then, as always, you will be financially responsible for the copay assigned by your insurance company. CMS (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services) will cover telehealth services nationally for Medicare and Medicaid patients. Check with your insurance carrier to find out if telehealth is covered.
As per the earlier email blast, your HTC team is working, although often remotely, and are available to address your needs and concerns.
Email communication and phone message responses may be delayed but there should be a response to a non-urgent matter within the business day.
We are sure that this additional technology will be helpful for our families during this challenging time.
Information regarding the access to the telehealth option for our adult patients will be forthcoming when available.
For urgent matters outside of normal business hours (Monday-Friday from 9A-5P) and after-hours:
PEDIATRIC PATIENTS:
Call (305) 585 – 5400 and ask to speak with the Pediatric Hematologist On-Call.
ADULT PATIENTS:
Call (305) 243 – 1000 and ask to speak with the Adult Hematologist On-Call.
For non-urgent matters, please call the main number at (305) 243 – 0834 and leave a message. Please be advised that responses may be delayed.
The HTC team appreciates any suggestions from our families, as you work within the limitations necessary to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, to improve our communications with you all.
