What a telehealth visit is
Telehealth primary care visits are appointments held by video, and sometimes by phone, between you and a primary care clinician. You talk, the clinician asks questions and looks at what the camera can show, and the plan is recorded as it would be after an in-person visit.
For someone recovering from a wound, a hospital stay or a long illness, each trip out of the house can cost a day of energy. Video can handle the conversations that do not need hands on the patient. The treating clinician decides which kind of visit a concern needs.
When a video visit fits well
Video works best when the visit is mainly talking, reviewing and planning. Common examples:
- Going over lab or imaging results
- Checking in on a long-term condition such as diabetes or high blood pressure
- Medication questions, side effects, or a review of the list after a hospital stay
- A follow-up to see whether a recent change is working
- A family conversation that includes a relative who lives out of town
Have recent blood pressure, blood sugar or weight readings in front of you. Some people take part in remote patient monitoring, where readings reach the practice between visits.
Where video falls short
A camera cannot do what hands, a stethoscope and good lighting can. The clinician cannot listen to your heart and lungs, press on a swollen leg, feel for pulses in your feet or test sensation.
That matters most for wounds. Video can show that a dressing is in place or that redness seems to be spreading. It cannot measure depth, check under the edges or tell how the tissue feels. Our page on telehealth wound follow-up and the guide to sending wound photos to your care team go into more detail.
Expect to be asked for an in-person visit when a concern is new, getting worse, or likely to need an exam.
How video visits support wound recovery
Healing depends on more than the wound itself. Blood sugar, swelling, nutrition, medications and circulation all play a part, and those are primary care questions.
A video check-in between hands-on visits can catch a problem early: blood sugar readings creeping up, a medication that cuts your appetite, or a caregiver who is struggling with dressing changes. The clinician can adjust the plan or bring in the wound care team. Our page on primary care and wound care together explains how the two teams share information.
Getting ready for a video visit
- Pick a quiet spot and face a window or lamp.
- Charge the device and test the camera and sound beforehand.
- Keep your medication bottles or an up-to-date medication list within reach.
- Write down your top two or three questions and any recent home readings.
- Ask a family member or caregiver to sit in if they help with your care.
- Be ready to say where you are during the visit, including the state.
If you do not have a smartphone or reliable internet, say so when the visit is being planned. Some practices can hold certain visits by telephone, and sometimes an in-person visit is the better fit.
What Gateway arranges
Gateway clinicians provide care, and our coordination team handles scheduling, records and follow-up. If you already have a primary care physician, we keep that office involved. Some people combine video check-ins with in-home primary care visits.
Around the visit, we help with scheduling, getting records to the clinician, and following up on orders such as labs, supplies or a specialist appointment. Whether telehealth is offered to you depends on the treating practice, your plan and the care needed.
When not to wait for a video visit
Telehealth is not for emergencies. Call 911 for chest pain, trouble breathing, heavy bleeding, fainting, sudden confusion, or signs of a stroke such as face drooping, arm weakness or slurred speech.
Call the treating clinician’s office promptly, instead of waiting for a scheduled video visit, if you have fever or chills, spreading redness or warmth around a wound, new or worsening pain, new drainage or odor, or a sudden change in swelling.
How to start
Call 314-325-0126, or use the request care form to ask for a callback. The form takes a name and phone number only, so please save medical details for the call. Tell us what devices you have and who helps you at home.
Common questions
Is a video visit as good as an in-person visit?
For some purposes, yes. Reviewing results, talking through medications and checking on a stable condition often work well by video. Anything that needs an exam, such as a new symptom, a swollen leg or a wound that looks different, is better handled in person.
Does it matter whether I am in Missouri or Illinois?
It can. Clinicians generally need to be licensed in the state where the patient is located at the time of the visit. Our region covers Greater St. Louis in Missouri and the Metro East in Illinois, so we ask where you will be during the visit and match the practice to that.
Can a family member who lives far away join?
Often, yes, with your permission. Many video systems let another person join from a different location, which helps adult children who cannot be in the room. Ask the practice how to add someone before the day of the visit. You decide who is included.
Will my insurance pay for a telehealth visit?
We cannot answer that for you, because benefits depend on your plan, the treating provider and the type of visit. People can ask about Medicare, Medicare Advantage, Medicaid and commercial plans. Ask the practice and your plan what applies before the visit. Our insurance questions page lists what to ask.
Related pages
General information to help you talk with your own clinician. It is not medical advice, and the treating clinician makes every clinical decision. For a medical emergency, call 911.