By now, nearly a year into the pandemic, we have all started to get accustomed to the new normal. Dropping by the doctor’s office for a walk-in checkup, for instance, is no longer allowed. We have to book an appointment and follow safety protocols before getting in the clinic or hospital.
Using virtual means to consult with a healthcare professional is highly recommended. But practitioners like Dr. Joseph Regalado, a pediatrician and a psychologist, understands why there’s hesitation especially among pregnant women and parents of young children.
“Ang feeling natin naging less personal because hindi na tayo face-to-face,” he said in a webinar entitled “#UpForTheChallenge Conversations on Motherhood in the New Normal,” organized by the child care brand Philips Avent.
“If you’ve established a previous relationship with your doctor, mas madali. You’re familiar with your obstetrician or pediatrician. But if it’s your first time, ang feeling n’yo parang mas less engaged. Actually, it’s all up to you as well.”
How can parents do a telemedicine visit
Dr. Regalado shares ways how pregnant women and new parents can make the most of e-consultation or telemedicine visit:
Do not get intimidated
During a consultation, Dr. Regalado strongly suggests asking your doctor all the questions you have. Keep in mind that it’s your time to get the answers you need. It’s best to engage your doctor about medical and health concerns involving you or your baby.
Reconsider texting your concerns
Dr. Regalado prefers to conduct a consultation “not just through words but seeing you.” This way, he explains, he’ll be able to assess the level of fear and anxiety in the patient or in the parent.
“The doctor can see how you hold your baby,” he points out, “We can sense how tense your arms when you hold your baby or how tense your face is. We can sense if it’s joy or fear that we see. It has to be addressed through specific questions.”
Think twice about rushing your sick child to the clinic
Before telling the parent of the sick child to go to his clinic, Dr. Regalado needs a subsequent e-consultation first and assess the condition. He says he avoids mixing the sick with the kids in his clinic.
When a doctor gives the go-ahead, he usually asks the parent to come to the clinic with the sick child at the last hour. He also makes sure that the sick child will not be seen by the other children who are well.
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