In this episode, Amy continues her conversation with insurance biller Maria Civitelli Forgione and GHLF’s Director of Policy and General Counsel Steven Newmark. “I think a lot of people aren’t aware of these state line issues until they happen to be travelling or they happen to live near a boarder and then suddenly it applies to them.” Highlights: 0:39- “What is the best way for patients to connect with their insurance provider to get details about their plans?” 1:52- “Always read the instruction manual” 2:47- “Where do you see the future of telehealth?” 4:18- “For any modality other than mental health the time with the patient has decreased” 4:50- “As the pandemic gets better” Contact our host: Amy Finkelstein, Technical Support Specialist afinkelstein@ghlf.org We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself to patientlyconnecting@ghlf.org Listen to all episodes of Patiently Connecting on your favorite podcast channel. See Omny Studio for privacy information.  

In this episode, Amy learns about the world of insurance with the help of insurance biller Maria Civitelli Forgione and GHLF’s Director of Policy and General Counsel Steven Newmark. “We changed very quickly- like overnight in Connecticut and the tri-state area from in-person visits to telehealth visits… The insurance totally did a 360 and the providers had to find new platforms like doxy.me or Zoom.” Highlights: 0:25- “Today we have two fabulous guests” 0:51- “Tell us about the shift to telehealth over the course of [2020]” 1:57- “The insurance totally did a 360” 2:26- “Patients had to learn how to utilize electronics in a different way” 3:34- “It was a real learning curve for doctors and patients” 4:22- “Telehealth for the chronically ill community” 4:40- “When we first went into the pandemic” 5:10- “In terms of insurance, it’s the wild west” 5:33- “Telehealth and state lines” 6:04- “It seems like you have your provider in your pocket on your phone, but it’s not that simple” Contact our host: Amy Finkelstein, Technical Support Specialist afinkelstein@ghlf.org We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself to patientlyconnecting@ghlf.org Listen to all episodes of Patiently Connecting on your favorite podcast channel. See Omny Studio for privacy information.

In this episode, Amy speaks with Jesse Tonkinson’s partner, Annie Lunt, a first-time mother whose pandemic experience included an unexpected pregnancy, moving across state lines, and many telehealth appointments. “My pregnancy was probably the most surprising thing I could have anticipated in life. Jesse and I had just gotten engaged, and I had chosen to use an IUD. In January [2020] I found out I was pregnant.” Highlights: 0:50- “Meet Annie and her little one” 2:04- “And then COVID hit” 2:20- “I don’t think unexpected pregnancies get a lot of talk space” 3:03- “Being a stay-at-home mom wasn’t really on the top of my list of things to do” 3:20- “I’ve been more depressed in my life…no one really saw me pregnant” 3:46- “I had two in-person appointments” 4:06- “When it went virtual” 4:53- “I know women who gave birth alone” 5:11- “Appointments from home” 5:59- “How do you feel when you take your newborn out into the world?” 6:19- “What have you learned from pregnancy in the pandemic?” Contact our host: Amy Finkelstein, Technical Support Specialist afinkelstein@ghlf.org We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself to patientlyconnecting@ghlf.org Listen to all episodes of Patiently Connecting on your favorite podcast channel. See Omny Studio for privacy information.  

In this episode, Amy interviews Jesse Tonkinson, a medical student and first-time father. He shares his pandemic experience and perspective on telehealth as he witnessed first-hand personally and professionally. “It’s extremely hard to Facetime or Zoom and understand what the doctor is talking about. You’re just sitting in the parking lot, and you know, the phone dies and you’re just stuck there in the parking lot crying and wishing that you could be there.” Highlights: 0:44- “What was it like adapting to medical school during a global health crisis?” 1:08- “My daughter was born in August 2020” 1:47- “Our experience as patients…I was just the driver” 2:18- “By the time we got to delivery in August” 2:58- “As a medical student, I got to deliver” 3:30- “Each week as we got closer and closer to delivery we would meet with a different doctor” 4:30- “You might be entering into your first virtual appointment” 4:49- “Eye contact is a huge piece of that” 5:59- “The more of you the doctor can see, the better” 6:33- “If you are impaired in sight or hearing” Contact our host: Amy Finkelstein, Technical Support Specialist afinkelstein@ghlf.org We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself to patientlyconnecting@ghlf.org Listen to all episodes of Patiently Connecting on your favorite podcast channel. See Omny Studio for privacy information.  

In this episode Amy speaks with Ivan Diller, a psychologist who had to move his practice online due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Every time someone logs in from a car, they think they’re the first person to do that. So, I have to tell them they are not the first person to call from the car. Feel comfortable. Relax.” Highlights: 0:39- “Overnight we had to learn how to jump in and make therapy work online” 2:38- “Zoom is its own language” 3:40- “Different telehealth platforms” 4:29- “How did patients react to switching online” 5:27- “How have you grown as a professional due to this challenge?” 6:46- “Have patients actually Zoomed you from the bathroom?” 7:43- “Where do you think the future of telehealth lies?” Contact our host: Amy Finkelstein, Technical Support Specialist afinkelstein@ghlf.org We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself to patientlyconnecting@ghlf.org Listen to all episodes of Patiently Connecting on your favorite podcast channel. See Omny Studio for privacy information.

In this episode Amy speaks with her friend and colleague, Danielle, about her personal experiences with telehealth as well as her insights about cyber security. “I’m at the stage where I’m just trying to take control of things that I don’t have control of because they’re either genetic or I’ve been ignoring because I’ve just been trying to get to my career and get through. When you have to meet a doctor for the first time via telehealth, they’re not familiar with the software. I’m a patient I’m not familiar with you, your practices, your software, anything. It was very jarring for me.” Highlights: 0:45- Danielle’s experience with telehealth before the pandemic 2:13- Danielle’s pandemic experience 3:11- Amy’s first experience with telehealth 3:53- “I found my therapist because of the pandemic” 4:40- “There’s so many things we have to adapt to” 5:33- “Taking Grams to the doctor” 6:42- “Patient portals- what are they?” 7:00- “Patient portals and cyber security” Contact our host: Amy Finkelstein, Technical Support Specialist afinkelstein@ghlf.org We want to hear what you think. Send your comments, or a video or audio clip of yourself to patientlyconnecting@ghlf.org Listen to all episodes of Patiently Connecting on your favorite podcast channel. See Omny Studio  for privacy information.

In a world surprised by COVID-19, the way we visit doctors changed, adapted, and grew. Telehealth was not new before the pandemic, but it was not widely used –since March 2020 everything changed, and telehealth is now here to stay. What does this mean for patients? For providers? Come with Tech Amy to learn about the world of telehealth while it develops. Brought to you by www.ghlf.org  

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Have you ever wondered how to choose the right device for a Telehealth appointment? Tech Amy covers what to do. Brought to you by www.ghlf.org

We can’t hear you! What did they say? Have you ever found the mute button confusing? Tech Amy explains the many meanings of mute in this episode. Brought to you by www.ghlf.org

Have you ever wondered if there is etiquette to using your computer’s microphone? Tech Amy covers what to do. Brought to you by www.ghlf.org

Have you ever been on a video call that keeps glitching? Tech Amy covers what to do. Brought to you by www.ghlf.org