The coronavirus pandemic continues to spread throughout Florida, bringing life to a standstill and threatening to overwhelm hospitals and emergency rooms across the state. Terms like “self-isolation” and “social distancing” have become part of our shared vocabulary.
Think you may have COVID-19 or other flu-like symptoms? Before you can be tested, you first need to be assessed by a healthcare professional, a simple step to determine if you might have the virus. Telemedicine services such as Baptist Health Care On Demand – which enable you to consult with a trained healthcare professional from the safety of your home via your smartphone, laptop or computer – play a critical role in battling the COVID-19 crisis.
“Using the Care On Demand app as part of a front-line response to the COVID-19 virus pandemic helps ensure that scarce hospital resources are reserved for the sickest patients, including those who need care for conditions not related to the epidemic,” says David Mishkin, M.D., medical director of Baptist Health Care On Demand.
Most cases of COVID-19 involve mild symptoms, including fever and a dry cough, that can be home-treated without medical intervention. Some patients develop pneumonia, which is a condition that can fill lungs with fluid, potentially causing difficulty breathing in some patients.
“As the coronavirus continues to spread, the need for our care has never been greater. Our doctors are working hard, around the clock to provide care to thousands of patients around the country. We apologize for any inconvenience patients may experience from longer-than-usual wait times.”
