The coronavirus crisis is forcing many Bay Area hospitals to rapidly take telemedicine to the next level.
Facing a crush of COVID-19 patients in their emergency rooms, Stanford Medical Center doctors have had to think outside the box to keep medical workers from contracting the coronavirus. In many cases, patients are now being seen with on-site video conferencing on iPads.
“We’ve been rapidly putting it in place in our emergency department,” said Dr. Alexei Wagner, an emergency physician at Stanford.
Wagner says the iPad helps medical staff to use less face masks and other protective equipment, which are still in short supply.
“It’s been a wonderful addition to how we can treat our patients with COVID virus.” said Wagner.
Wagner says the video chats come after the initial exam, which is still done in person.
“We’ll do a robust physical in-person physical exam with protective equipment on,” said Wagner, “but then follow up questions and answers, or the utilization of a translator not having to be in the room, that we can all do virtually now.”
