Based on an Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics article in February 2002, telemedicine has existed in some form or another for almost 40 years. What we recognize as telemedicine today actually started in the 1950s when a few hospital systems and university medical centers started to try to find ways to share information and images via telephone. In one of the first successes, two health centers in Pennsylvania were able to transmit radiologic images over the phone.
In the early days, telemedicine was used mostly to connect doctors working with a patient in one location to specialists somewhere else. Throughout the next several decades, the equipment necessary to conduct remote visits remained expensive and complex, so the use of the approach, while growing, was limited.
Read how Nutrition Link Services works via Telehealth, click here.
The rise of the internet age brought with it significant changes for the practice of telemedicine. Currently in the USA, at least 15% of physicians work in practices that use telemedicine, while adoption by private insurers has increased by 50% per year for most of the past decade.
The advent of smart devices has opened the possibility of delivering remote healthcare to patients in their homes, workplaces, or assisted living facilities as an alternative to in-person visits for both primary and specialty care. Virtual tele-visits can be successfully used to collaboratively establish a team of care with your primary care physician and/or other health therapists.
Now more than ever, your registered dietitian or healthcare provider should be your first point of contact if your wellness goals related to nutrition, physical activity, or health maintenance. At Nutrition Link Services, we are a team of Registered Dietitians who practice an integrative, functional approach to helping patients understand- and even enjoy- nutrition, while addressing a wide variety of issues including diabetes, cardiac care, renal disorders, bariatric dieting, eating disorders and more.
With our use of Telemedicine, secure video visits allow you to receive the same quality care as you do in the office and help maintain your health and wellness. You do not need to plan for a physical trip to the office, allowing you to meet with your Registered Dietitian/Nutritionist from the safety and convenience of your home.
If you are interested in any of our nutrition-related services, please call us at 845-566-3506 or click here for an appointment request to schedule your virtual appointment.
Tips for a Virtual Visit with your Dietitian:
1. Check your internet connection. Wi-Fi or wired connection is strongly preferred for a successful experience.
2. Option to use headphones can cut down on any background noise and help keep the conversation with your dietitian more focused and private.
3. Please be patient. Sometimes video visit traffic may be overly active as we work to provide optimal care for you, so we may run a few minutes behind schedule.