Over two-thirds of Americans (68%) indicated that they or someone in their household delayed health care during the pandemic.¹ Even as COVID-19 appears to be loosening its grip on our collective society, some are still hesitant to resume pre-pandemic life.

However, it’s important to remember that delays in receiving treatment or undergoing a standard wellness checkup may have the unfortunate consequence of resulting in more serious health issues later, medical experts warn.

The danger of delayed health care is several-fold:

• Children need their immunization shots to prevent typical childhood diseases.
• Delayed treatments can lead to less favorable outcomes, especially as it relates to cancer and heart disease.
• A health condition not caught early can result in more aggressive treatment that could have been avoided and/or more adverse outcomes. Delayed mammograms and colonoscopies are just two examples in which catching a condition early can avoid larger problems in the future.

If you, or someone you know, is hesitant to visit a doctor’s office, there are options:

1. Call your doctor. Speak with him or her about the safety of coming in for a visit. Be sure to ask about their COVID-19 safety protocols to help ease any anxiety.
2. Schedule a virtual visit. Telemedicine has exploded during the pandemic and many Americans are pleased with the experience. Many doctors will continue offering telehealth as part of their day-to-day practice operations. Research the available telemedicine options to see which fits your individual preferences. Your health insurance carrier may already have established telemedicine providers available for you.

Telemedicine Tips

There are ways to make a video meeting with a health care professional a productive one. Here are some tips to consider before your appointment.

• Prepare a list of questions beforehand.
• Write down your symptoms and their severity prior to the call.
• Know your personal information: height, weight and temperature. If you have a monitor, take your blood pressure.
• List any current chronic conditions and medications you may be taking.
• Know your medical record number if you are an existing patient so the health care professional can quickly access your records, if necessary.
• Make sure you are familiar with the technology that is being used for the video consultation before your appointment.
• Be ready 10 minutes before your call so you are prepared to go when the health care professional logs in.
• Get comfortable.
• Have paper and pen handy to take notes.

Financial advisors may not have traditionally played a role in the health care of their clients, but nothing has been conventional about the pandemic. So, maybe during this year’s client review, ask a new question: “Are you taking proper care of yourself?”

Source:

1. https://www.jnj.com/health-and-wellness/is-it-safe-to-see-the-doctor-during-covid-19-pandemic

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