Telehealth visits soared post-pandemic and many patients prefer them. But some conditions absolutely require an in-person exam. Here's how to know which type of care you need.
COVID-19 didn't invent telehealth — but it made millions of patients comfortable with it. A 2023 HHS report found that telehealth use stabilized at roughly 5 times pre-pandemic levels after restrictions lifted. For patients in Miami-Dade, where traffic on I-836 can turn a 20-minute drive into a 90-minute ordeal, the appeal is obvious. But as your primary care team at Viva Medical Center in Doral, FL, we want to be honest about what telehealth can and cannot replace.
What Telehealth Does Well
Many common visits are genuinely well-served by a video or phone appointment. Telehealth works excellently for:
- Medication refills and management — reviewing a stable condition and renewing prescriptions
- Lab results review — discussing what your cholesterol or A1c numbers mean and adjusting your plan
- Mental health check-ins — follow-up for anxiety, depression, or ADHD when medication is established
- Cold, flu, and URI symptoms — sore throat, congestion, cough in a clearly healthy adult with no red flags
- Minor rashes or skin concerns — if photos can be submitted in advance
- Chronic disease follow-up — hypertension, diabetes, thyroid when recent labs are available
- Preventive counseling — nutrition, exercise, smoking cessation
- COVID-19, flu, or UTI assessment — when symptoms are straightforward and treatment is formulaic
Research supports this: a 2022 JAMA study found that patient satisfaction with telehealth for primary care exceeded in-person satisfaction for medication management and routine follow-up. Convenience wins when the clinical need is met.
What Requires an In-Person Visit
There are non-negotiable situations where a physical examination is clinically necessary. Your doctor cannot feel your lymph nodes through a screen. Come in person for:
- Your annual physical exam — the whole point is a thorough physical assessment plus labs
- Chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations — require cardiac exam, EKG, possibly immediate workup
- Abdominal pain — palpation, assessment of bowel sounds, organ tenderness require hands
- New or changing joint pain — range of motion, effusion, instability require physical exam
- Ear infections — you simply cannot examine an eardrum remotely
- Skin lesions that may need biopsy — a photo cannot capture texture, depth, or borders accurately enough
- Any red-flag neurological symptoms — new weakness, numbness, vision changes, coordination problems
- New or unexplained symptoms — when you don't know what's wrong, neither does your doctor until they examine you
The Hybrid Model: How We Do It at Viva
The future of primary care isn't all-telehealth or all-in-person — it's intelligent sequencing. At Viva Medical Center, our approach:
- Telehealth available 7 days a week for established patients
- Same-day and next-day in-person slots available in Doral
- Lab orders can be sent electronically before your telehealth visit so results are ready to discuss
- Your doctor decides together with you which mode is appropriate based on your specific symptoms
Does Insurance Cover Telehealth in Florida?
Yes. Florida law (FS 627.42396) requires commercial insurance plans to cover telehealth services at parity with in-person visits for equivalent services. Medicaid and Medicare also cover telehealth broadly. If you're unsure about your specific plan, our billing team will verify before your visit.
Book a Telehealth or In-Office Visit Today
We serve patients in English and Spanish throughout Miami-Dade County. Whether you want to skip the commute for a quick follow-up or come in for a thorough evaluation, Viva Medical Center in Doral is ready. Book your telehealth or in-person appointment online, or call us — most appointments are available within 24–48 hours.
Interested in learning more? Explore our Tele-Health services at Viva Medical Center in Doral, FL.