Telemedicine visits allow families to meet with specialists from the Heart Institute at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh in the comfort of their own homes. Many follow-up appointments don't require travel to the hospital.
This means many families already seeing a pediatric heart specialist can take advantage of online visits.
About Telemedicine Services at the Heart Institute
Pediatric heart specialists offer follow-up appointments, preventive care, and monitoring through telemedicine. Online visits connect doctors and families to manage conditions such as:
- Heart murmurs
- High blood pressure
- Lipid disorders
- Obesity-related issues
- Palpitations
- Vasovagal syncope
Heart Institute patients who are away at school or who receive lab work elsewhere can still follow up with a UPMC Children's specialist. Online visits provide a way to review labs and imaging results and provide ongoing recommendations.
Remote follow-up for lipid disorders
Video chats are a unique opportunity for patients, parents, and doctors to manage care. Diet and exercise are an important part of managing lipid disorders.
After receiving a diagnosis of a lipid disorder, patients have an initial visit with a doctor. During this visit you review the condition, basics about cholesterol, and lifestyle changes. Next, you'll have a more in-depth visit to discuss lifestyle changes in detail.
Through use of video chats, doctors have more insight into patients' homes and can make tailored recommendations. The doctor can make diet suggestions based on what's already in the pantry. Or they can recommend exercises after seeing the patient's available space.
Benefits of Telemedicine Services
Making major lifestyle changes or dealing with an ongoing heart condition is emotional. Telehealth lets children and their parents meet with doctors in a safe, comfortable space.
Other benefits of telehealth include:
- Less travel time
- Continued care, even when away at school
- Save money with fewer trips to the clinic
Who Can Use Telemedicine Services?
Telemedicine at the Heart Institute is ideal for patients in good overall health who need regular follow up. This includes patients with:
- Symptoms related to COVID-19
- Tachycardia (fast heart rate)
- Heart murmurs with no symptoms
- Congenital heart disease
- Lipid disorders
- Obesity-related conditions
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Chest pains or heart palpitations with a normal pediatrician visit
- Young adults away at school or living away from home can also use telemedicine visits. In those cases, doctors can send lab orders to a nearby clinic and provide follow-up virtually.
People with symptoms related to congenital heart disease should make an in-person appointment at the Heart Institute. Likewise, patients referred by a pediatrician because of a concern during an appointment should get seen in person.
What to Expect During Your Video Visit
Patients schedule their visits through the MyCHP portal. All video visits occur through the portal. Your doctor can share test results and recommendations through the platform as well. If you don't have access to MyCHP, your doctor can set up a virtual visit through other means.
During a visit, the doctor reviews necessary medical information and next steps. He or she sends paperwork, instructions and follow-up lab results through the portal.
Doctors can send Holter monitors or other monitors to your home if you need more monitoring. Then, the online visit follows up with results and recommendations.
Manage your child's ongoing heart health by scheduling a video visit today.
