How To Get The Most Out Of Your Virtual Medical Appointment

I'm a primary care doctor, and, in normal times, my favorite part of the job is getting to see my patients regularly. But because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, I've had to substantially cut down on in-person visits to help put the brakes on the spread of the coronavirus.

In this time of high medical anxiety, the phones at my clinic have, understandably, been ringing off the hook.

In addition to questions about symptoms that might signal COVID-19, my patients still need to know if the pain in their knee after a fall signals a broken bone or torn ligament that requires treatment; whether their child with a fever needs antibiotics; whether that sudden swelling in their ankles is a sign we should change their medication.

For many such cases, I once would have said, "Come on in, and let's get you checked out." But now we're all pivoting to e-mail, phone calls, and video chats.

Here are some tipsto help you know when to call your doctor and how to get the